Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
China
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Banks, Slopes
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
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 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
White, Ivory
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
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Pollution, Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Keep the Soil well drained
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, 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, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, use all-purpose fertilizers
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Sooty Mold
Aphids
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
-
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Leaves
Other Uses
Food for animals, Showy Purposes
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, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Sarcococca confusa
पोई
In German
Sarcococca verwirrt
Malabarspinat
In French
Sarcococca confus
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Sarcococca confundido
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Sarcococca συγχέεται
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Sarcococca confuso
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
sarcococca mylić
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
confusa Sarcococca
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Buxales
Caryophyllales
Family
Buxaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Sarcococca
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2060
1
27800
👆🏻