Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Tree
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
-5
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-3
12*7
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
Pyramidal
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Orange Red
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to ablanceolate
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
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrate based fertilizers
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Beetles
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
-
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cardiac, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Tonic
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
It is a remedy for treating fevers, Used in making tea, Used in treatment of mouth ulcers
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
OXYDENDRUM arboreum
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Sourwood
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Sourwood
पोई
In German
Sourwood
Malabarspinat
In French
Sourwood
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Sourwood
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Sourwood
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Sourwood
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Sourwood
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Sourwood
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Ericales
Caryophyllales
Family
Ericaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Oxydendrum
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Oxydendreae
-
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
-
Number of Species
160
1
27800
👆🏻