Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Bauhinia. blakeana, Bauhinia variegata Candida.
Number of Varieties
52
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-10
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
H1, H2, 13, 19, 21, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Pink, Light Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Lavender, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Orbiculate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Grafting, Layering, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune ocassionally, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Bacterial leaf scorch, Borers, Caterpillars, Leaf spot, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt, Variety of soil types
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Food for insects, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
BAUHINIA blakeana
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Blake's Butterfly Tree, Chinese Orchid Tree, Hong Kong Orchid Tree
In Hindi
पोई
हांगकांग आर्किड पेड़
In German
Malabarspinat
Hong Kong Orchidee Baum
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Hong Kong arbre d'orchidée
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
árbol de orquídea Hong Kong
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
δέντρο ορχιδέα Χονγκ Κονγκ
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
árvore de orquídea de Hong Kong
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
storczyk drzewo Hong Kong
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Hong Kong Orchid ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fabales
Family
Basellaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Basella
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
607
1
27800
👆🏻