5 Seeds Malabar Spinach Vine Basella alba Edible Tropical Climber

Malabar Spinach is a vigorous tropical climbing vine grown for its thick, tender leaves and stems, which are harvested for culinary use in many warm-climate cuisines. Also known as Ceylon spinach, this heat-loving species thrives in summer gardens where it quickly twines up trellises and produces abundant lush foliage and attractive reddish stems.
The mild, slightly succulent leaves and shoots are used fresh in salads or cooked in soups, stir-fries, and curries, where they take on a pleasant, slightly mucilaginous texture. Beyond the kitchen, this fast-growing climber makes a productive ornamental screen or trellis cover in warm weather, rewarding regular harvesting with continued new growth.
Species: Basella alba
Type: Tender perennial vine, commonly grown as an annual
Plant_Habit: Twining, climbing vine
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Rich, well-drained, moist soil
Days_to_Harvest: 55 to 70
Zones: 9 to 11 as perennial, annual elsewhere
Germination: 10 to 21 days
Sowing: Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep after last frost
Spacing: 12 to 18 inches between plants
Notes: Provide a trellis or support; harvest young leaves and tips regularly