Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
India
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Scarlet banana, Fe'i bananas
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
tropical environments, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99997-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
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, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm365.76 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm243.84 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Yellow, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Pink, Violet
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
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
Arrowhead
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, 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, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Needs watering once a week, occasional watering once established, 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
Clay, 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
Apply 8-10-8 amounts
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
-
Insects, Spider Mites
Allergy
-
Itchiness, Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Heals minor burns
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
MUSA velutina
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Banana, Hairy Banana, Pink Banana
In Hindi
पोई
गुलाबी केले
In German
Malabarspinat
rosa Banana
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
rose Banana
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Pink plátano
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ροζ Μπανάνα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Banana -de-rosa
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
różowy Banana
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Pink Banana
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Zingiberales
Family
Basellaceae
Musaceae
Genus
Basella
-
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6070
1
27800
👆🏻