Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Mexico, Central America
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
-
Number of Varieties
550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
agricultural areas, Loamy soils, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
12-1
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, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Fuchsia
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
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
Oval Cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions, Soil Compaction, Sun
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Do not let dry out between waterings, Do not water the foliage
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
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut upper 1/3 section when young to enhancegrowth
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Fertilize every three months
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Bacteria, Birds, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Beetles, Bugs, Insects
Allergy
-
Acidic, allergic conjunctivitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
-
Makes Hair Silkier, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Forms dense stands, Provides ground cover, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Air freshner, Cosmetics, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
HETEROCENTRON elegans
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Spanish Shawl
In Hindi
पोई
Heterocentron
In German
Malabarspinat
Heterocentron
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Heterocentron
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Heterocentron
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Heterocentron
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Heterocentron
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Heterocentron
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Heterocentron
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Myrtales
Family
Basellaceae
Melastomataceae
Genus
Basella
Heterocentron
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Abreae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
60200
1
27800
👆🏻