Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Grass
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
  
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Types
Not Available
  
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
  
Habitat
driveways, open Woodlands, Roadsides, Rocky areas, Slopes, tree wells
  
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-10
  
Not Available
  
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 4
  
12*7
  
Sunset Zone
2b, 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, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Not Available
  
Red, Green, Orange Red
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Non Fruiting Plant
  
White, Ivory
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
  
Green, Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Gold, Tan
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Linear
  
Heart-shaped
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Medium
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
  
Not Available
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
  
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Average Water
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
Requires little pruning
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
Apply 12-6-6 fertilizer
  
Nitrogen
  
Pests and Diseases
Not Available, Red blotch
  
Aphids
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
Yes
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
No Medicinal Use
  
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Food
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
  
Botanical Name
NASSELLA tenuissima
  
BASELLA alba
  
Common Name
Finestem Needlegrass, Mexican Feather Grass
  
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
  
In Hindi
Mexican Feather Grass
  
पोई
  
In German
Mexikanische Federgras
  
Malabarspinat
  
In French
Mexicaine Herbe Feather
  
L’épinard de Malabar
  
In Spanish
Pluma hierba mexicana
  
espinaca de Malabar
  
In Greek
Μεξικού Αστραπή Grass
  
Malabar Σπανάκι
  
In Portuguese
Mexican Pena Relva
  
Malabar espinafre
  
In Polish
Mexican Feather trawy
  
Szpinak Malabar
  
In Latin
Mexicanus Pluma Grass
  
Spinach Malabar
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Liliopsida
  
Eudicotyledones
  
Order
Cyperales
  
Caryophyllales
  
Family
Poaceae
  
Basellaceae
  
Genus
Nassella
  
Basella
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Stipeae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available