Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southern Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Nelumbo nucifera
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Ponds
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
9-12
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
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
White, Red, Pink, Light Pink, Hot Pink, Rose, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Lime Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Lime Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Lime Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Orbicular
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, In Water, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Cut away fading foliage
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
20N–4.4P–16.6K at 20-d intervals
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Caterpillars
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double, Semi-Double
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Attracts
-
Beetles, Insects
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
Promotes healthy skin, Provides herbal hair care
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Antidiarrhoeal, Astringent, Cancer, Cardiotonic, Febrifuge, Hypotensive, Resolvent, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Leaves are used to wrap small parcels, Roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute, Root is used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
NELUMBO nucifera
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
East Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus
In German
Malabarspinat
Heiliges Lotus
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Lotus Sacré
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
loto sagrado
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
ιερή Lotus
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Lotus sagrado
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Sacred Lotus
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
sacra Lotus
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Proteales
Family
Basellaceae
Nymphaeaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Subfamily
-
Nelumbonaceae
Importance of Malabar Spinach and Sacred Lotus
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Malabar Spinach and Sacred Lotus. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Malabar Spinach and Sacred Lotus 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 Sacred Lotus is Antidiarrhoeal, Astringent, Cancer, Cardiotonic, Febrifuge, Hypotensive, Resolvent, Stomachic and Tonic. Malabar Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: while Sacred Lotus has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Malabar Spinach vs Sacred Lotus
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 Sacred Lotus 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 Sacred Lotus have Constipation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Malabar Spinach has showy fruits and Sacred Lotus has no showy fruits. Also Malabar Spinach is not flowering and Sacred Lotus is not flowering . You can compare Malabar Spinach and Sacred Lotus facts and facts of other plants too.