Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
58
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Deep, Fertile bottom land, Hilly upland habitat, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99996-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
8-6
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
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm1,371.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Purple, Burgundy, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Yellow, Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Yellow, Copper, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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 dead or diseased plant parts, Requires little pruning
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Magnesium sulphate, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
breathing problems, Dizziness, Itchiness, Nausea, Rash, Stomach pain, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Malaria, Rheumatism, Urine infections, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
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
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
ASIMINA triloba
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Pawpaw
In Hindi
पोई
गंदा संयंत्र
In German
Malabarspinat
Papaya Pflanze
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
usine de papaye
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
planta de la papaya
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
φυτό pawpaw
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
planta mamão
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
pawpaw roślin
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
quince herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Magnoliales
Family
Basellaceae
Annonaceae
Genus
Basella
Asimina Adans
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
609
1
27800
👆🏻