Green Malabar Spinach – 5 Seeds

Green Malabar Spinach Seeds. Green Malabar Spinach (Basella alba) is not a true spinach but a different species. It is an edible vine in the family Basellaceae. It is found in tropical Asia and Africa where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable. Even though it’s not a true spinach, it has the same taste.

This fast-growing plant is a soft-stemmed, twining vine that can grow up to 10 feet long as an annual (longer as a perennial) but generally remains smaller in most gardens. The dark green, glossy, oval to heart-shaped leaves are thick and semi-succulent with a mucilaginous texture. A delicious green that can be grown as an annual in many areas or as a perennial in sub-tropical areas.

Green Malabar Spinach has white flowers and green vines. The leaves and stem contain mucilage, so it can appear slimy when broken off the vine. This mucilage is a great source of soluble fiber, much like pectin in apples.

The vine will grow rapidly in the heat of summer all the way through autumn.

Common Names: Malabar Spinach, Vine Spinach, Creeping Spinach, Ceylon Spinach and Indian spinach.

Green Malabar Spinach Culinary Uses

• The edible leaves (and shoots) of Basella alba resemble spinach with a mild, slightly peppery flavor with a hint of citrus and are used in the same way.
• The young leaves can be eaten raw mixed in a green salad, and steamed or boiled to be used like cooked spinach.
• Because of the mucilagenous nature, it can also be used to thicken soups and stews.
• The leaves can be eaten throughout the season, but once plants start flowering, the leaves become bitter.
• The succulent stems are peeled and cooked in curries.
• The deep red/purplish sap from the fruit is used as a food colorant for desserts.

Medicinal Uses:

• Digestive Health: Known for its mild laxative properties, it is used to alleviate constipation and soothe the gastrointestinal tract due to high fiber and mucilage content.
• Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant: Contains betacyanin (antioxidant) and kampferol (immune modulator), used to reduce nerve inflammation and treat swelling.
• Skin Care: Leaves are used as a topical poultice to accelerate the healing of boils, sores, and burns.
• Kidney/Liver Health: Studies indicate potential hepatoprotective effects, reducing toxin-induced liver damage.
• Cardioprotective: Used to help lower blood pressure and protect against cardiac injury.

Other Uses

• Dye: The red berries have historically been used to make ink or red dye.
• Cosmetics: Used in formulations for skin moisturizing and reducing wrinkles.

Growing Green Malabar Spinach

Indoor Sowing: Mid Winter and Late Winter.

Direct Sowing: Mid Spring.

• Soak the Malabar Spinach Seeds in water overnight before planting or scarify the seed coat to speed up germination.
• Direct sow the seeds in Mid Spring.
• Indoor sowing can be done in mid winter and late winter, however the plants do not transplant well.
• It is a vine, so plant the seeds next to a trellis in full sun.
• Place the seeds about 15cm apart on top of fertile, moisture-retentive soils and cover with a layer of soil.
• Keep soil moist, but not soggy, until germination.
• Germination can take 1 month or longer, so patience is required.
• Optimum germination temperature of between 18-24 C.
• Tolerates light shade.
• Use a slow-release fertilizer.