Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Cephalocereus senilis
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
11-15
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, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Light Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
White
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
White
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
White
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
White
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Funnel shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full 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
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bulbs, Hair
Other Uses
Used As Food
Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CEPHALOCEREUS senilis
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Bunny Cactus
White Persian Cat cactus
In Hindi
पोई
ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस
In German
Malabarspinat
Old Man Cactus
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Old Man Cactus
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Viejo Cactus
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Γέρος Cactus
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Old Man Cactus
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Stary Cactus
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Senem Cactus
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Basellaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Basella
Cephalocereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus 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 Old Man Cactus is . Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Old Man Cactus has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Old Man Cactus
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 Old Man Cactus 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 Old Man Cactus have Skin irritation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Old Man Cactus has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Old Man Cactus is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Old Man Cactus facts and facts of other plants too.