Shrub Malabar Spinach

padma_2009

14 years ago

Has anyone heard of Shrub Malabar Spinach. I have the Malabar Spinach Vine or climber. I am interested in the Shrub variety. If anyone knows of a link or source from where I can get it, it would be of great help.

The difference between the two:

Shrub Malabar Spinach: Grows 3-4 feet in height. The stem and leaves are thick and slightly fleshy and are edible. Can be eaten the same way as spinach ( cooked or raw). The leaves are glossy and 1"-1 1/2" wide and 3-4" long. Can be grown from stem cuttings or seeds. It bears beautiful magenta colored small flowers which fruit into purple fruits which stain when crushed.

Vine Malabar Spinach: Grows 10-20 feet and needs a trellis to climb.The stems and leaves are thick and fleshy and are edible. Eaten the same way as spinach. The leaves are glossy and 3-4" wide and more of a heart shape. Can be grown from stem cuttings or seeds. It bears beautiful magenta colored small flowers which fruit into purple fruits which stain when crushed. There is another variety in the malabar vine which has the characteristics but has a red stem.

Padma

Comments (9)

ozykate
14 years ago
Hi Padma I am growing shrub malabar.
Some started in green house now direct seed which is growing well. Seed from Kitazawa seed co.Great selection quality and service.
ozykate
sharmij
14 years ago
Hi ozykate,

what was the name of the seed you ordered from Kitazawa seed co. I found only the vine variety and not the shrub.
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jairadhe
14 years ago
As far as I know, malabar spinach has two varieties. Red stem and green stem. Both grow as bush initially and when they start to bolt they grow big like a vine. Actually climb around a bamboo or any other stick.
padma_2009
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Ozykate,

Wow !!! you have the Malabar Spinach Bush Variety. I would like to know by what name it is known. Does it have the long leaf which is 1" to 1 1/2" wide and around 3 " to 4" in length? Please can u send me the details. Kitazawa seed co. link shows the two vine varieties. Is it in some other group instead of the malabar spinach?

Padma
foodiesleuth
14 years ago
I too would love to know the name of the Malabar spinach shrub
snoweymonkey
14 years ago
Anyone know whether shrub malabar spinach will grow well in Zone 7? I've been growing 2 shrubs for over 1 month now and there is no changes at all in the two small shrubs. Am I doing something wrong?
locteach
14 years ago
I am growing Malabar spinach - I think I am in zone 7b - North Dallas. I bought one plant - divided it into 2 and have seen it grow and grow. As soon as I pluck leaves for my salad, it grows new branches and shoots. It is prolific. I am growing it in a self watering container that is a gallon in size. It loves my trellis and it tolerates the full Texas sun. Yesterday, I took another piece off to sprout for another container in a shadier place as an experiment. I am interested in seeing if it will be a hardier grower with less sun - since the full sun seems to stunt many of my plants from flowering etc.

Right now, I am eating a wonderful red vine malabar salad - with raisins, fresh basil, and walnuts in a red berry dressing. Oh yum!
yukkuri_kame
13 years ago
I have the green variety - found the seeds at a chinese grocery store. Growing very well in containers here in South Florida when almost everything else is afraid of the sun, this stuff eats it up.

Anyway, i am interested in propagating by cuttings, any suggestions? What length? Plant the cuttings right in the soil?
indu_modali
13 years ago
Malabar spinnach will grow wild even with a cutting. You can pick some of it for your use. Leave 2 or 3" stems and stick them in wet ground and keep the area moist and within 2 weeks you will see new growth. It is that simple.