Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern Asia, Australia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Melaleuca quinquenervia
Number of Varieties
55
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-7
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, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Light Yellow, Light Pink, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
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
Dark Green, Plum
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Drought, Soil Compaction
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
Get enough water whenever the soil is dry
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Red blotch
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
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
Antibiotic, Cough, Headache, hemorrhoids, Respiratory Disorders, Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Flowers, Leaves, Wood
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as essential oil
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
MELALEUCA quinquenervia
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Cajeput Tree, Paperbark Tree, Punk Tree
In Hindi
पोई
Paperbark tree
In German
Malabarspinat
Paperbark tree
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Paperbark tree
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Paperbark tree
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Paperbark tree
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Paperbark tree
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Paperbark tree
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Paperbark tree
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Myrtales
Family
Basellaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Basella
Melaleuca
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6013
1
27800
👆🏻