Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Africa
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Firesticks, Old Man's Beard
Number of Varieties
52
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Desert, Hilly upland habitat, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-13
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, 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
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Red, Red orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Red, Light Green, Orange Red
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Tiny
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
Medium
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
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Needs good drainage, Water less during winter, Water more in summer
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
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
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Eye irritation, Numb Lips
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Mixed Border, Ornamental use, 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
Antiasthamatic, anti-cancer, Antitumor, Cough, Ear ache
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Branch, Latex, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as firewood, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
EUPHORBIA tirucalli
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
aveloz, firestick plants, Indian tree spurge, naked lady, pencil tree, pencil cactus, sticks on fire, milk bush, Euphorbia tirucalli
In Hindi
पोई
Sher-kandvel
In German
Malabarspinat
Bleistiftstrauch
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Aveloz
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Pencil Plant
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Aveloz
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
avelós
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Aveloz
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Aveloz
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Euphorbiales
Family
Basellaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Basella
Euphorbia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Euphorbieae
Subfamily
-
Euphorbioideae
Number of Species
601
1
27800
👆🏻