Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
India, Nepal, China
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Betula utilis
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
5-7
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
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Pyramidal
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Cordiform
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
पोई
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Malabarspinat
Himalaya-Birke
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Birch Himalayan
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fagales
Family
Basellaceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Himalayan Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Himalayan Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Himalayan Birch as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C whereas of Himalayan Birch is anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic and Carminative. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Himalayan Birch has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Himalayan Birch
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Malabar Spinach vs Himalayan Birch and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Malabar Spinach are whereas of Himalayan Birch have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Himalayan Birch has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Himalayan Birch is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Himalayan Birch facts and facts of other plants too.