Life Span
Perennial
Annual, biennial or perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Lavatera Trimestris, Lavatera Thuringiaca, Lavatera Arborea
Number of Varieties
525
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Cliffs, Maritime Rocks
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
10-8
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, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm210.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Pink, Violet, Plum
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Orbicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Water deeply about once a week
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Pinching, Shearing, Thinning
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Pests and diseases free
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Poultice
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used in chopped mixed salad
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
LAVATERA arborea
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Tree Mallow
In Hindi
पोई
Tree Mallow
In German
Malabarspinat
Baum Mallow
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Arbre Mallow
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
árbol de la malva
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
δέντρο Μολόχα
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Mallow
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
drzewo Mallow
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
ligno malvae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Malvales
Family
Basellaceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Basella
Lavatera
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Malveae
Subfamily
-
Malvoideae
Number of Species
6030
1
27800
👆🏻