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 grown from Malabar Spinach seeds 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. It is also commonly referred to as Climbing Spinach Vine, Red Vine Spinach or Creeping Spinach.

Climbing to 10 feet (3 meter) or more, Malabar Spinach is a lovely vine for trellises and arbors. This herb is one of the very few garden herbs that is a vining plant.

Red-stemmed and pretty in flower, red Malabar spinach is a fast-growing vine that has both ornamental and culinary qualities. Red Vine Spinach requires a trellis or other support for the 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.

SOWING:

Season: Perennial

Sow indoor: February - April

Sow outdoors: April - July

Harvest season: All year

Height: 120 inches (3 meter)

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

Deer Resistant: No

Germ temperature: 19 - 22C (65 - 75F)

Average Germ Time: 14 - 21 days, scarify seed to hasten germination

Light Required: Yes

Depth: Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep

Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination

Plant Spacing: 9 - 12 inches (20 30 cm)

Climbing Spinach: Once frost danger has passed, plant the Malabar Spinach seeds directly in the herb garden. Some gardeners recommend scarifying the herb seeds to improve germination. Cover the Basella Rubra seeds with 1/4 inch (0.50 cm) of soil and keep the soil adequately moist.