Herb Specifications
- Season: Perennial
- USDA Zones: 8 - 11
- Height: 120 inches
- Bloom Season: Mid summer
- Bloom Color: Purple & White
- Environment: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Type: Prefers moist, fertile soils, high in organic matter, pH 6.5 to 6.8
Planting Directions
- Temperature: 65 - 75F
- Average Germ Time: 14 - 21 days, scarify seed to hasten germination
- Light Required: Yes
- Depth: Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep
- Sowing Rate: 1 -2 seeds per plant
- Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
- Plant Spacing: 9 - 12 inches
Malabar Spinach (Basella Rubra) - If you are looking for a different flavor from traditional spinach, then this gorgeous combination of deep green leaves set against burgundy stems and violet blooms will be perfect in your herb garden. Edible leaves from the Basella Rubra plant can be used throughout summer and will flourish in heat and humidity. Young leaves of this herb plant can be cooked and added to recipes and fresh leaves make a great salad. Climbing to 10 feet or more, Malabar Spinach is a lovely vine for trellises and arbors. One of the very few garden herbs that is a vining plant. Plant these herb seeds in full sun and rich, moisture retentive soil.
Red-stemmed and pretty in flower, red Malabar spinach is a fast-growing vine that has both ornamental and culinary qualities. Requires trellis or other support for twining vine. A native of India, Malabar spinach is a fully evergreen tender perennial herb with densely twining, rambling stems that can become thick and often require management to keep them from overtaking supports. Grow these herb seeds as a perennial in frost free zones and as an annual herb in colder zones.
