Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
110
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shrublands, tropical grasslands
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Green, Tan
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
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, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pest Free
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies
-
Allergy
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Mexican Tea
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Dysphania ambrosioides
भारतीय पालक
In German
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
Indian Spinat
In French
Épazote
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Dysphania ambrosioides
espinaca india
In Greek
Μεξικού τσάι
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Dysphania ambrosioides
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Komosa piżmowa
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Dysphania ambrosioides
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Dysphania
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Dysphanieae
-
Subfamily
Chenopodioideae
-
Number of Species
305
1
27800
👆🏻