Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Cephalocereus senilis
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
110
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Narrow Upright/Fastigiate
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Pink
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
White
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
White
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
White
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Funnel shaped
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Water when soil is dry
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full 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
Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Hair
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CEPHALOCEREUS senilis
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Bunny Cactus
White Persian Cat cactus
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस
भारतीय पालक
In German
Old Man Cactus
Indian Spinat
In French
Old Man Cactus
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Viejo Cactus
espinaca india
In Greek
Γέρος Cactus
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Old Man Cactus
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Stary Cactus
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Senem Cactus
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Cephalocereus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Pachycereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
2005
1
27800
👆🏻