Red Malabar Spinach
Basella rubra
Wikimedia Commons
Vigorous climbing vines grow through summer into fall. Glossy, thick, savoyed leaves resemble spinach. Dark green leaves and deep red/purple stems. Mild Swiss chard taste. Use leaves and young stems sparingly in salads or stir-fries.
Harvest
50d
Days to harvest
Sun
Part sun
Zones
1–11
USDA hardiness
Height
6-8 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Red Malabar Spinach in USDA Zone 7
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Red Malabar Spinach · Zones 1–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
Succession Planting
Direct sow every 3 weeks from late March through late May in zone 7, once soil temps are consistently above 65°F — germination stalls below that and you'll sit there waiting 21+ days for nothing. Red Malabar doesn't bolt the way true spinach does; it actually gets more productive as heat builds, so there's no heat threshold pushing you to stop. Call it off around mid-July simply because later sowings won't hit the 50-day mark before frost ends the season.
Each planting will keep yielding for months if you harvest the top 6 inches of new growth every 10–14 days rather than pulling the whole plant. That cut-and-come-again habit means two or three staggered plantings will carry most households from May through first frost — you don't need the tight successions you'd run with lettuce.
Complete Growing Guide
Growing Red Malabar Spinach (Basella rubra) lettuce. Light: Part sun. Hardy in USDA zones 1 to 11. Days to maturity: 50. Difficulty: Easy.
Harvesting
Red Malabar Spinach reaches harvest at 50 baby; 85 full size from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Ready for harvest in 50 days from sowing or transplant. Harvest at peak ripeness for best flavor and storage life. Pick regularly to encourage continued production where applicable.
Storage & Preservation
Red Malabar spinach leaves keep best in a breathable container or perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator at 35–40°F with 90–95% humidity. Expect a fresh shelf life of 5–7 days before leaves begin to wilt noticeably. For longer preservation, blanch leaves briefly in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, cool in ice water, then freeze in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags for up to eight months. Drying is also effective: spread cleaned leaves on screens in a warm, well-ventilated space until brittle, then store in airtight jars away from light. Fermentation works well too—pack fresh leaves with salt in a clean jar and let them sit at room temperature for several weeks. Unlike tender lettuces, the thick, succulent leaves of Basella rubra hold their structure remarkably well through freezing and actually improve in cooked dishes, making them ideal for soups and stir-fries rather than fresh salads after thawing.
History & Origin
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.
Advantages
- +Vigorous vines produce continuously through summer and fall seasons
- +Ornamental deep red stems add visual interest to garden beds
- +Thick, glossy leaves hold up well in cooking applications
- +Mild Swiss chard flavor works in both raw and cooked dishes
- +Easy to grow with minimal care requirements for beginners
Considerations
- -Requires sturdy trellising or support structure for climbing vines
- -Slow to mature at 50 days compared to traditional spinach varieties
- -Prefers warm weather and struggles in cool spring conditions
- -Young leaves must be harvested sparingly to avoid plant stress
Companion Plants
Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) and nasturtiums are the most practical companions here. Marigolds release thiophenes from their roots that suppress soil nematodes, and both plants pull in aphid predators — lacewings, parasitic wasps — that you want around a crop that's a known aphid target. Nasturtiums also function as a trap crop: aphids tend to pile onto them first, which buys your Malabar vines some breathing room. Basil and tomatoes are compatible neighbors for a practical reason — all three want the same conditions: sustained heat above 70°F, regular water, and soil that drains rather than sits. Tomatoes caged at 24–36 inches occupy a different vertical space than Malabar climbing 6–8 feet up a trellis, so they're not fighting each other for light or root space at the 12–18 inch base spacing Malabar needs.
Fennel is worth keeping at least 3–4 feet from everything nearby — it releases anethole and related compounds that suppress germination and stunt adjacent plants. Brassicas are a mismatch for a different reason: they're cool-season crops that are bolting or already pulled by the time Red Malabar hits peak production in July and August. You're not dealing with chemical antagonism so much as a timing collision — they want the same bed space during the one window when you need it for warm-season crops.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies that commonly attack Malabar spinach
Tomatoes
Malabar spinach provides living mulch and ground cover while tomatoes offer climbing support
Peppers
Both enjoy warm weather and similar growing conditions, peppers deter some leaf-eating pests
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting Malabar spinach
Beans
Fix nitrogen in soil which benefits the leafy growth of Malabar spinach
Cucumber
Similar heat and moisture requirements, can share vertical growing space
Okra
Both thrive in hot, humid conditions and complement each other's growth habits
Keep Apart
Fennel
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit growth of most leafy vegetables
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may attract pests that also damage Malabar spinach
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that is harmful to most vegetables including Malabar spinach
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Aphids, spider mites, beetles
Diseases
Leaf spot, powdery mildew
Troubleshooting Red Malabar Spinach
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Leaves covered in white powdery coating, usually starting on older foliage mid-summer
Likely Causes
- Powdery mildew (Erysiphe spp.) — thrives in warm, dry days with humid nights, common once temperatures settle above 80°F
- Poor airflow from dense vining growth that hasn't been trained or thinned
What to Do
- 1.Thin out crowded stems and tie remaining vines to a trellis so air can move through
- 2.Spray affected leaves with diluted neem oil (2 tbsp per gallon of water) every 7 days until the coating stops spreading
- 3.Remove and trash heavily infected leaves — don't compost them
Small water-soaked spots on leaves that turn brown or tan with a darker border, sometimes with a yellow halo
Likely Causes
- Leaf spot (Cercospora spp. or bacterial leaf spot) — splashes up from soil during rain or overhead watering
- Vines lying on the soil without trellis support, keeping foliage wet longer than it should be
What to Do
- 1.Get the vines off the ground — Red Malabar climbs 6 to 8 feet and wants vertical support from the start; a sturdy stake or wire panel works fine
- 2.Switch to base watering and mulch with 2–3 inches of straw to cut down on soil splash
- 3.Strip spotted leaves, bag them, and rotate that bed away from Basella rubra next season
New growth tips puckered or sticky, with clusters of small soft-bodied insects visible on the undersides
Likely Causes
- Aphids (Myzus persicae or a generalist species) — they build colonies fast in warm weather, and ants actively shepherd them to protect the honeydew supply
- Spider mites — look for fine webbing on leaf undersides during dry stretches above 90°F; they're easy to miss until populations are already high
What to Do
- 1.Knock aphids off with a hard stream of water in the morning; repeat every 2–3 days for two weeks
- 2.For spider mites, spray leaf undersides with insecticidal soap (1 tbsp per quart of water) in the evening to avoid burning foliage in the heat
- 3.Plant marigolds or nasturtiums within 12–18 inches of the base — both draw lacewings and parasitic wasps that keep aphid pressure down
Frequently Asked Questions
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.