4-6" Live Potted Plant

Malabar Spinach ‘Rubra’ (Basella rubra) is a striking tropical vine prized for both its ornamental beauty and edible foliage. Native to tropical South Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea, this heat-loving plant thrives where traditional spinach struggles. Its glossy, fleshy leaves are accented by distinctive reddish-purple stems and veins, making ‘Rubra’ an attractive addition to edible landscapes, trellises, fences, containers, and garden screens.

Best suited to USDA Zones 9–10 as a warm-season perennial, Malabar Spinach can also be grown as a summer annual in cooler climates, with successful warm-season cultivation possible as far north as Zone 7. It flourishes in hot, humid conditions and performs best when temperatures remain above 80°F. Give it full sun to partial shade and consistently moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Sandy loam is ideal, with a slightly acidic to neutral pH of approximately 5.5–7.0. This tender vine is highly sensitive to frost and cool temperatures, so plant outdoors only after the soil and weather have warmed.

A vigorous climber, ‘Rubra’ can quickly reach 6 feet or more and benefits from a sturdy trellis, fence, arbor, or other support. Regular harvesting of the young leaves and tender stems encourages continued growth and helps keep the vine compact and attractive. Its lush foliage provides a beautiful vertical accent while also delivering a productive harvest throughout the warm season. With its rapid growth, heat tolerance, and distinctive red coloration, ‘Rubra’ is an excellent choice for gardeners looking to combine food production with ornamental appeal.

In the kitchen, Malabar Spinach is used much like traditional spinach, but its succulent leaves hold up particularly well to cooking. Young leaves and tender stems can be enjoyed fresh in salads or cooked in stir-fries, soups, stews, and other dishes. Its mild flavor and slightly mucilaginous texture make it especially popular in Asian and Indian cuisines, where it may be sautéed with garlic, onions, chilies, or other flavorful ingredients. For gardeners seeking an unusual, heat-loving leafy green that is both edible and exceptionally ornamental, Malabar Spinach ‘Rubra’ is a colorful and productive choice.

Shipping materials are recycled. Please feel free to compost our shredded paper we use for cushioning. The package may have been reused. Feel free to reuse again, use as mulch, or recycle.

Seeds ship any day of the week. Plants are only shipped on Mondays and Tuesdays. This is to avoid plants sitting at a post office or warehouse over a weekend and reducing shipping stress on plants. Plants arrive healthier and quicker when you select priority shipping. Plants and seeds ship from Florida. Keep that in mind when deciding to buy and selecting shipping options.

No refunds, exchanges, or returns. By purchasing this plant, you are accepting the risk of having plants mailed to you. Our most common carrier is USPS. Any damaged packages, damaged plants, dead plants or irregular shipping patterns should be claimed through the USPS insurance claims system. All orders come with a standard insurance of up to $100.00. You will need to provide the following for an insurance claim:

Receipt of your order that you can obtain through your Etsy order history

Pictures of the package upon arrival

Pictures of the contents upon arrival