Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Caribbean, South America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Dry Forest, 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
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Sky Blue, Indigo
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
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
Medium
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
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, 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
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
anti-cancer, Cold, Combats Stress, Detoxification, Immunity
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark
Other Uses
Used As Food
For making oil, For making oil for cosmetics, Medicinal oil, Oil is used for aromatherapy
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
Bursera graveolens
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Common Lignum Vitae, Palo Santo
In Hindi
पोई
पालो सेंटो
In German
Malabarspinat
Palo Santo
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
palo santo
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
palo santo
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
palo santo
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
palo santo
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
palo santo
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
S. Palo
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Basellaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Basella
Bursera
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
60100
1
27800
👆🏻