Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Shrubs
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Lobelia aberdarica, Lobelia leschenaultiana, Lobelia canbyi
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Open areas, River side, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
4-9
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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Blue, Red, Violet, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Cushion
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Fall, Early Summer, Late Summer, Mid fall, Mid Spring
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, 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 Type
Clay, Loam
Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune after flowering, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Botrytis Blight, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
coma, convulsions, Diarrhea, exhaustion, Nausea, salivation, Vomiting, weakness
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bouquets, Showy Purposes, 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
Asthma, Bronchitis, Croup
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Bog Garden, Edging, Foundation, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Lobelia laxiflora
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Lobelia
In German
Malabarspinat
Lobelie
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Lobelia
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Lobelia
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
λοβηλία
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Lobélia
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Lobelia
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Lobelia
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Dicotyledonae
Order
Caryophyllales
Asterales
Family
Basellaceae
Campanulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Lobelia
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Lobelia. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Lobelia 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 Lobelia is Asthma, Bronchitis and Croup. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Lobelia has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Lobelia
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 Lobelia 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 Lobelia have coma, convulsions, Diarrhea, exhaustion, Nausea, salivation, Vomiting and weakness respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Lobelia has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Lobelia is flowering. You can compare Malabar Spinach and Lobelia facts and facts of other plants too.