Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
4010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Wild
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-7
Sunset Zone
10, 11, 12, 13
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
Minimum Height
90.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
5.10 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Hot Pink
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
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
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
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
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
poisonous if ingested
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, Stomach pain, Swelling, Wounds
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Stem
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON parryi
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Parry's Beardtongue
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
penstemon parryi
भारतीय पालक
In German
penstemon parryi
Indian Spinat
In French
penstemon parryi
épinards indienne
In Spanish
parryi penstemon
espinaca india
In Greek
penstemon parryi
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
parryi penstemon
espinafre indiano
In Polish
penstemon parryi
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Persicaria californicum
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻