Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
China
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
310
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Banks, Slopes
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-9-9999
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
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Late Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Pollution, Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, use all-purpose fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Sooty Mold
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Pollution, Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Food for animals, Showy Purposes
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
SARCOCOCCA confusa
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Sweet Box
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Sarcococca confusa
भारतीय पालक
In German
Sarcococca verwirrt
Indian Spinat
In French
Sarcococca confus
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Sarcococca confundido
espinaca india
In Greek
Sarcococca συγχέεται
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Sarcococca confuso
espinafre indiano
In Polish
sarcococca mylić
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
confusa Sarcococca
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Buxales
Caryophyllales
Family
Buxaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Sarcococca
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
205
1
27800
👆🏻