Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
Africa, Madagascar
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
3005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
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
-
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
243.84 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
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, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Pentas plant
पोई
In German
Pentas Pflanze
Malabarspinat
In French
plante Pentas
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
planta pentas
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
φυτό Pentas
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
planta Pentas
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Pentas roślin
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Pentas herba
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Rubiaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Pentas
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Knoxieae
-
Subfamily
Rubioideae
-
Number of Species
8260
1
27800
👆🏻