Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
Not Available
AHS Heat Zone
Not Available
12-7
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Not Available
Vining/Climbing
Minimum Width
Not Available
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Round
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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 pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove hanging branches
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Edible Fruit
No
Not Available
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Not Available
Allergy
Not Available
no allergic reactions
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Not Available
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Insignificant
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PENTAS
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Pentas plant
भारतीय पालक
In German
Pentas Pflanze
Indian Spinat
In French
plante Pentas
épinards indienne
In Spanish
planta pentas
espinaca india
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Pentas herba
Spinach Indian
Phylum
Vascular plant
Not Available
Class
Magnoliopsida
Not Available
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Rubiaceae
Basellaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Knoxieae
Not Available
Subfamily
Rubioideae
Not Available
Importance of Pentas and Indian Spinach
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Pentas and Indian Spinach. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Pentas and Indian Spinach as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Pentas is Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis and To Treat Lymphadenitis whereas of Indian Spinach is Astringent. Pentas has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Indian Spinach has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Pentas vs Indian Spinach
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Pentas vs Indian Spinach and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Pentas are Not Available whereas of Indian Spinach have no allergic reactions respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Pentas has no showy fruits and Indian Spinach has showy fruits. Also Pentas is flowering and Indian Spinach is not flowering . You can compare Pentas and Indian Spinach facts and facts of other plants too.