Malabar Spinach — Basella alba

A vigorous, tropical climbing vegetable with beautiful, glossy, succulent leaves. Despite its name, Malabar spinach isn't related to ordinary spinach, but its tender leaves and shoots make a wonderful alternative during the warmer months.

An attractive, productive plant that's equally at home in the vegetable garden or climbing over a trellis.

Why I Grow It

I love plants that are both beautiful and useful, and Malabar spinach is a wonderful example.

It's incredibly easy to grow once the weather warms up, and unlike ordinary spinach, it positively thrives in summer heat.

It produces masses of edible foliage while creating a lush green climbing plant. Perfect for making productive use of vertical space in the garden.

In the Kitchen

Both the leaves and tender young stems are edible.

The leaves can be eaten raw when young or cooked in stir-fries, curries, soups and vegetable dishes.

They have a mild, earthy flavour and a slightly succulent texture. Like okra, Malabar spinach contains natural mucilage, which gives cooked dishes a silky texture and can help thicken soups and stews.

I particularly like it as a summer substitute for cooked spinach, when conventional spinach has long since bolted.

Try it sautéed with garlic, ginger and a little sesame oil, or added towards the end of cooking a curry.

In the Garden

Malabar spinach is a fast-growing, twining vine that loves warmth and humidity.

Given a trellis, fence or other support, it can climb several metres during a favourable growing season.

Its glossy, heart-shaped leaves make it attractive enough to grow among ornamental plants, while regular picking encourages fresh growth.

In most of New Zealand it's grown as a warm-season annual, as it is frost-tender.

Care

• Position: Full sun to partial shade, preferably warm and sheltered.

• Soil: Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-draining soil.

• Planting: Transplant once the soil is warm and frost risk has passed.

• Spacing: Approximately 30–45 cm between plants.

• Support: Provide a trellis, fence or climbing frame.

• Watering: Water regularly to encourage tender, leafy growth.

• Feeding: Add compost before planting and feed occasionally during active growth.

• Harvesting: Pick young leaves and tender shoots regularly. Avoid stripping the entire plant at once.

What You'll Receive

One pot containing two healthy Malabar spinach seedlings, grown from seed.

The seedlings can be carefully separated and planted individually, or grown together with adequate space and climbing support.