A climbing annual reaching some five feet, Malabar spinach (Basella rubra) bears thick leaves that are crunchy under the tooth yet turn slightly gooey as they break down, and they are eaten raw or cooked exactly as spinach is. Give it sun, humus-rich soil and frequent watering, for it suffers badly from drought, and it will crop from midsummer to early autumn.
| Botanical name | Basella rubra |
|---|---|
| Common name | Basella, Malabar spinach |
| Family | Basellaceae |
| Type | leaf vegetable |
| Height | ± 5 feet (1.50 to 2 meters) |
| Planting distance | 16 inches (40cm) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | high levels of humus, soft and loose |
| Planting | Early spring-mid-spring |
| Harvest | Midsummer to early autumn |
Basella is an annual vine. Whether it’s planted in the garden or in the vegetable patch, its leaves are delicious both raw and cooked.
Native to Asia, more specifically India, its popular name is Malabar spinach. Though it definitely comes from the tropics, it positively thrives in temperate climates as long as a few rules are followed.
To grow best, basella requires a few basic things:
If the soil in your garden doesn’t exactly match these “best-case” requirements, you’ll have to work on it a bit over the Fall season before being able to plant it in Spring:
You’ll have to do this in two steps:
Smart tip : soak the seeds in plain water for a few hours, this will increase the germination rate.
Just like Spinach, you can also recover stems from your harvest and plant them: they’ll grow roots and new shoots from the nodes, leading to even more vines!
Basella is grown in stages, from autumn soil work to a long summer picking season. Here is what each period asks of you.
| Period | What to do | Where and how |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Improve the soil with well-decomposed manure or compost | Along the growing bed, mixed into the topsoil with a spading fork |
| Early spring–mid-spring | Sow the seeds in a substrate of sand and soil mix | Nursery pots or a tray, ideally on an indoor windowsill |
| May, after the last frosts | Transplant the most vigorous seedlings | Against a trellis, stakes or an arbor, or under glass in cooler areas |
| Midsummer to early autumn | Pick leaves and young stems continuously | Keeps a few days in the refrigerator after picking |
Watering remains the one constant throughout, since basella suffers quickly from drought.
Basella won’t require much care at all. However, it is very vulnerable to drought, so making sure it’s watered often is important.
The main predators of basella are snails, slugs and aphids. They always start off by attacking young leaves. Not only does this weaken the plant, but it also reduces the harvest. As you endeavor to control these pests, try to make the most of natural solutions so that you don’t contaminate the leaves. After all, they’ll end up in your plate!
Depending on when you sowed, you can expect to start harvesting in Midsummer and produce a continuous supply of leaves until Early autumn. Pick and eat leaves, of course, and also collect young stems, just as you would for chayote. After picking, leaves will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.
Basella is sold under very few named forms, and the real choice comes down to stem colour, leaf size and whether you want the plant on the plate, up an arch, or both. The forms below are the ones that turn up in mainstream seed catalogues.
| Variety | Stem and leaf colour | Leaf | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Stem Malabar | All green | Large, mild-flavoured | Mass cooking greens, stir-fries |
| Vine spinach (red-stemmed seed strain) | Strong red stems | Glossy, mid-sized | Screening a fence or arch while cropping |
| Red Stem Malabar | Purple-red stems, dark green leaves | Medium, rounded | Dual purpose: arbour cover and picking |
| Malabar Spinach Red | Red stems and leaf stalks | Thick, crisp | Salads raw, where colour is wanted |
| ‘Rubra’ | Deep red stems, green leaves with red veins | Broad, thick, glossy | Ornamental on a trellis, leaves eaten raw or cooked |
The common name for basella (Malabar spinach) isn’t just a coincidence. Indeed, it’s possible to cook and pair the plant exactly as you do spinach, whether raw or cooked. The texture is unique, both crunchy under the tooth and somewhat slimy or gooey as it breaks down.
That same mucilage is an asset in soups, dals and stews, where basella thickens the broth much as okra does.
