Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Texas, Canada
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Blue Moon, Clouds of Perfume
Number of Varieties
52
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
Rich Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
8-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
-
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
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate-lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead flowers
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Rust
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Boils, Eczema, Intestinal disorders
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
As a tea substitute, Used as eyewash
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
PHLOX divaricata 'Blue Moon'
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Wild Blue Phlox, Woodland Phlox
In Hindi
पोई
Wild Blue Phlox
In German
Malabarspinat
Wild Blue Phlox
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
Wild Blue Phlox
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
Wild Blue Phlox
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Άγρια μπλε Phlox
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Wild Blue Phlox
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Dziki Niebieski Phlox
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Phlox ferae blue
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Solanales
Family
Basellaceae
Polemoniaceae
Genus
Basella
Phlox
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Phlocideae
Subfamily
-
Polemonioideae
Number of Species
602
1
27800
👆🏻