Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
5010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Loamy soils, Warmer regions
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
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
Spreading
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Fuchsia
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark 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
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval Cordate
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions, Soil Compaction, Sun
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Do not water the foliage
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
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut upper 1/3 section when young to enhancegrowth
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Fertilize every three months
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria, Birds, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Beetles, Bugs, Insects
-
Allergy
Acidic, allergic conjunctivitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing
-
Beauty Benefits
Makes Hair Silkier, Making cosmetics
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Forms dense stands, Provides ground cover, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Stem
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Air freshner, Cosmetics, Showy Purposes
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
HETEROCENTRON elegans
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Spanish Shawl
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
Heterocentron
भारतीय पालक
In German
Heterocentron
Indian Spinat
In French
Heterocentron
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Heterocentron
espinaca india
In Greek
Heterocentron
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Heterocentron
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Heterocentron
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Heterocentron
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Myrtales
Caryophyllales
Family
Melastomataceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Heterocentron
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Abreae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2005
1
27800
👆🏻