Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
South America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Number of Varieties
554
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
13,21,22,23,24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm12.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm8.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Sand, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Sandy
Bloom Time
-
All year
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Offsets
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do not water excessively
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Sandy
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Dry
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Mealybugs
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Fruits
Other Uses
Used As Food
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
GYMNOCALYCIUM
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Chin Cactus
In Hindi
पोई
Gymnocalycium
In German
Malabarspinat
Gymnocalycium
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Gymnocalycium
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Gymnocalycium
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Gymnocalycium
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Gymnocalycium
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Gymnocalycium
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Gymnocalycium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Basellaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Basella
Gymnocalycium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
6054
1
27800
👆🏻