Basella alba is a perennial vine in the family Basellaceae. It is also known by common names including Malabar spinach, vine spinach, Ceylon spinach, alugbati and Indian spinach.
The plant is native to Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea and naturalized elsewhere. It has a number of culinary uses.
Description
Basella alba is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 metres (33 ft) in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavour and mucilaginous texture. It comes two varieties, green and red; the stem of the Basella alba is green with green leaves and the stem of the cultivar Basella alba "Rubra" is reddish-purple. The leaves form green and as the plant reaches maturity, older leaves will develop a purple pigment starting at the base of the leaf and working towards the end. The stem when crushed usually emits a strong scent. Malabar spinach can be found at many Asian supermarkets, as well as farmers' markets.
Basella alba grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates, and in areas lower than 500 metres (1,600 ft) above sea level. If grown in acceptable conditions, its peak-season growth can accelerate remarkably. Growth is slower in cooler temperatures; its growth will not be vigorous if daytime temperatures fall at or below 10–15 °C (50–59 °F), resulting in low yields. Given its natural ancestry of the Indian subcontinent, Malabar spinach is a true tropical plant, and has a natural preference for daytime temperatures between 21–32 °C (70–90 °F). It will even display remarkable growth around 37 °C (99 °F), though care must be taken to avoid sunburn with higher temperatures, by providing shade cloth, screening, or umbrella cover in summer. Flowering is induced during the short-day months of the year. It grows best in well-drained and loamy soils, that are rich in organic matter, with pH ranging from 5.5 to 7.0, but can tolerate slightly lower or higher if...
