Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
4-9
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
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 for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
River Birch
In German
Malabarspinat
Fluss Birch
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Birch river
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
river Birch
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
river Birch
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Betula
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Fagales
Family
Basellaceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Malabar Spinach and River Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and River Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and River Birch 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 River Birch is . Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs River Birch
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 River Birch 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 River Birch 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 River Birch has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and River Birch is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and River Birch facts and facts of other plants too.