Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
South America, Brazil
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
coastal environs
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-9
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
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Red, Crimson
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Burgundy
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Broadly Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
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
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
In late autumn, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, 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
Analgesic, Antitumor
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
EUGENIA uniflora
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Brazilian Cherry, Pitanga, Surinam Cherry
In Hindi
पोई
Pitanga
In German
Malabarspinat
Pitanga
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Pitanga
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Pitanga
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Pitanga
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Pitanga
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Pitanga
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Pitanga
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Myrtales
Family
Basellaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Basella
Eugenia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Myrteae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6020
1
27800
👆🏻