Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Caribbean, South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Pinks Mammoth, African Pride, Late Gold, Geffner, Hilary White
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
810
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Warm and moist climatic conditions
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-13-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-7
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Sea Green
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
oblong or narrow-lanceolate
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Does not require regular watering
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
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune young trees into an open vase shape
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Anthracnose, Diplodia rot, Leaf spot
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Fruit Bats
-
Allergy
Oral Allergy
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Promotes Healthy Hair, Promotes healthy skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used to make hair tonic, Used to promote healthy blood flow during menstruation
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ANNONA squamosa
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Sugar Apple
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
सीताफल
भारतीय पालक
In German
Zuckerapfel
Indian Spinat
In French
Sugar Apple
épinards indienne
In Spanish
Manzana de azúcar
espinaca india
In Greek
ζάχαρη της Apple
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Pinha
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Cukier Jabłko
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Sugar Apple
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Magnoliales
Caryophyllales
Family
Annonaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Annona
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Abreae
-
Subfamily
Maloideae
-
Number of Species
1665
1
27800
👆🏻