Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
China
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Osmanthus fragrans
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
3010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland, shaded fields, Shaded sites, Slopes, Subtropical climates
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-99-9999
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
180.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Blue, Black
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
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
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water deeply about once a week
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Do not prune during shooting season, No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Shape and thin as needed
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Insects, Mites
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for fragrance, Used for producing cooking oil, Used as a spice
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
OSMANTHUS delavayi
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Sweet Olive
Tea Olive
Fragrant Olive
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
चाय ओलिव
भारतीय पालक
In German
Tea Olive
Indian Spinat
In French
Tea Olive
épinards indienne
In Spanish
té verde oliva
espinaca india
In Greek
τσάι Ελιάς
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Tea Olive
espinafre indiano
In Polish
Herbata z oliwek
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Tea Olive
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Oleaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Osmanthus
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
305
1
27800
👆🏻