Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
World/Pandemic, North America, Europe
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Lustrous Creeping Red Fescue, Rubra trichophylla, Rubra rubra
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Wide range of ecological site
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
2-7
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
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Mat-forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Tan
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Grass like
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Needs 2-3 times watering per week
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
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
Prune grass to maintain level
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
fertilize in fall
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Billbugs, Dollar spot, Pythium blight, Red blotch, Red thread, White grubs
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Aesthetic Uses
-
Ground Cover
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
FESTUCA rubra
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Red Fescue
In German
Malabarspinat
Rotschwingel
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
fétuque rouge
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
festuca roja
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
κόκκινο Φεστούκα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Red festuca
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Kostrzewa czerwona
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Red Fescue
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Liliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Cyperales
Family
Basellaceae
Poaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Red Fescue
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Red Fescue. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Red Fescue as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Malabar Spinach is Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C whereas of Red Fescue is . Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Red Fescue has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Red Fescue
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Malabar Spinach vs Red Fescue and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Malabar Spinach are whereas of Red Fescue have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Red Fescue has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Red Fescue is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Red Fescue facts and facts of other plants too.