Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Aquatics
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Asia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Nelumbo nucifera
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
1005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Ponds
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-12-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Pink, Light Pink, Hot Pink, Rose, Coral
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Lime Green, Sea Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Lime Green, Sea Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Lime Green, Sea Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Orbicular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, In Water, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
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
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut away fading foliage
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
20N–4.4P–16.6K at 20-d intervals
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single, Double, Semi-Double
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
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Beetles, Insects
-
Allergy
Constipation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
-
Beauty Benefits
Promotes healthy skin, Provides herbal hair care
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antidiarrhoeal, Astringent, Cancer, Cardiotonic, Febrifuge, Hypotensive, Resolvent, Stomachic, Tonic
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Leaves are used to wrap small parcels, Roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute, Root is used as a vegetable
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
NELUMBO nucifera
BASELLA alba
Common Name
East Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
पवित्र कमल
पोई
In German
Heiliges Lotus
Malabarspinat
In French
Lotus Sacré
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
loto sagrado
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
ιερή Lotus
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Lotus sagrado
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Sacred Lotus
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
sacra Lotus
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Proteales
Caryophyllales
Family
Nymphaeaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Abelia
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nelumbonaceae
-
Number of Species
560
1
27800
👆🏻