Red Malabar Spinach Seeds | Heirloom | Organic | Rare | Exotic | Heat Tolerant
(70 Days) Red Malabar Spinach is an exotic, beautiful, edible vining plant! Contrary to it’s name, this actually isn’t a true spinach, but a separate species (Basella Rubra) that is used similarly. It’s beautiful red vines can climb over 10 feet high and be easily trained or trellised. It’s leaves are perfect for salads when you harvest them them young or can be used in stir-fries, soups, or smoothies when they’re mature. The vines also produce bright purple berries which are edible, but have a bland flavor making them perfect for dyes or food coloring. Malabar Spinach is also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and unlike spinach it thrives in heat, though you can grow it in cooler areas as well. ***GERMINATION can take up to 3 weeks. You can speed up germination by soaking for 24-48 hours before placing in soil and keeping the soil warm and damp throughout the process.
Basella rubra 40 Seeds – Red Malabar Spinach
Basella rubra, commonly called red Malabar spinach, is an edible perennial vine in the Basellaceae family. Basella rubra is native to the tropics of Africa and Asia where it is commonly consumed as a leaf vegetable in a wide variety of dishes. The leaves can also be consumed raw and are quite nutrient dense containing a variety of vitamins and minerals and also have a high protein content. The red pigments in the leaves of the red cultivars of Basella rubra have been used to make dyes in China. The leaves are deep green, tender, thick, and succulent-like, that grow out of thick red stems that can climb up to 10 feet tall in warm climates. Even though the plant is not closely related to spinach, the leaves have a remarkably similar taste and texture. Basella rubra is a relatively easy to grow species that is tolerant of humidity and is resistant to pest insects. Basella rubra is hardy to zone 7+ as an annual and zone 10+ as a perennial. Basella rubra seeds will germinate faster and more reliably after a scarification pretreatment. To scarify the seeds, scratch the seed coat with a nail file or sandpaper to allow water to penetrate into the seed. Soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours prior to planting regardless if scarification was performed. After soaking, plant the seeds ¼ inch deep into a well draining potting soil mix. Keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet, and keep around 65°F to 75°F for best results. Germination typically takes 2-5 weeks to occur. Even with optimal conditions, seed germination may be slow and sporadic.
Malabar Spinach Red Live Plant 3″ Starter Plant – Basella rubra
Red Malabar Spinach is a fast-growing, tropical climbing vine known for its vibrant red-purple stems and succulent, glossy green leaves. The plant thrives in hot, humid climates, making it an excellent alternative to traditional spinach during warm seasons.
