Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Cephalocereus senilis
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
15
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Forest margins, gardens, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
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 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Pink
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
White
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
White
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
White
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Funnel shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Water when soil is dry
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
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
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Hair
Leaves
Other Uses
Hair is used in making sweaters, Showy Purposes
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, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
ओल्ड मैन कैक्टस
पोई
In German
Old Man Cactus
Malabarspinat
In French
Old Man Cactus
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Viejo Cactus
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Γέρος Cactus
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Old Man Cactus
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Stary Cactus
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Senem Cactus
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
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
20060
1
27800
👆🏻