Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
-
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Ocimum americanum
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-11
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
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
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
-
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Aesthetic Uses
-
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Added to salads, Powdered and mixed with tea, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes, Used to flavour soups
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Lemon Basil
In German
Malabarspinat
Limonenbasilikum
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
citron basilic
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
manjericão limão
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
lemon Basilius
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Basellaceae
Lamiaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Asterids
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Lemon Basil
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Lemon Basil. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Lemon Basil 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 Lemon Basil is Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Lemon Basil has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Lemon Basil
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 Lemon Basil 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 Lemon Basil have Hives, Itchiness, Rash and Swelling respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Lemon Basil has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Lemon Basil is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Lemon Basil facts and facts of other plants too.