Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico, Central America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Male Papaya Tree, Female Papaya Tree, hermaphrodite Tree
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
tropical environments, Tropical regions
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, 21, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm457.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm7.62 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Orange, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
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
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Do not water frequently, Requires watering in the growing season
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove shoots, Remove short branches, Remove short twigs, Requires little pruning
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Bees, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Itchy eyes, Red eyes, Runny nose, sneezing, Sore eyes, Swelling, Watery eyes, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Making cosmetics
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
Asthma, Bone strength, Cancer, Diabetes, Digestion problems, Heart problems, Inflammation, Skin Disorders
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food
Cosmetics, Making Shampoo, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
CARICA papaya
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Papaya
In Hindi
पोई
पपीता
In German
Malabarspinat
Papaya
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Papaye
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Papaya
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Παπάγια
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Mamão
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Papaja
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Papaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Brassicales
Family
Basellaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Basella
Carica
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6030
1
27800
👆🏻