Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Canary Islands
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Lotus berthelotii
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
410
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, mild coastal areas, shaded fields, Shaded sites, Well Drained
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, 9, 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
Prostrate/Trailing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Gold, Orange Red
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Silver
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green, Silver
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Silver
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Spine-edged leaves
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water Deeply, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
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
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
Cut or pinch the stems, 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, Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Blight, Fusarium root rot, Mealybugs, Mites, Powdery mildew, Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat And Humidity
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Mealybugs, Mites, Spider Mites
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Formal Garden, Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
LOTUS berthelotii
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Parrot's Beak
Winged Pea
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Parrot's Beak
भारतीय पालक
In German
Papageienschnabel
Indian Spinat
In French
Le Bec de perroquet
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Pico de loro
espinaca india
In Greek
Ράμφος παπαγάλου
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Bico do Papagaio
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Dziób papugi
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Parrot rostri
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Streptophyta
-
Class
-
-
Order
Fabales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fabaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Lotus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Loteae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
1505
1
27800
👆🏻