Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Russia, Siberia, China, Japan
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Iris ensata, Iris japonica
Number of Varieties
560
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Boggy areas, gardens, meadows, Shores of rivers or lakes
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
9-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do Not over Water, Water Deeply, Water slowly, and allow to dry completely between soakings, Water twice a day in the initial period
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Red blotch, Rhizome rot, Slugs, Snails, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Full Sun, Variety of soil types
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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, Butterflies, Flies, Snails
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bog Garden, 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
Alterative, Anthelmintic, Antidote, Appetizer, Depurative, Diuretic, Hepatitis
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Basketary, Fibre
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
IRIS ensata
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Iris
Japanese iris
In Hindi
पोई
Japanese iris
In German
Malabarspinat
Japanese iris
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
iris Xapanese
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Iris Xapanese
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ιαπωνική ίριδα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
íris japonesa
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
japońskie iris
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Iris Italica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asparagales
Family
Basellaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Basella
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6060
1
27800
👆🏻