Basella alba, Vegetable
Basella alba is a perennial vine in genus Basella of family Basellaceae. It is known as Malabar spinach, Phooi leaf, Red vine spinach, Creeping spinach and Climbing spinach. It is commonly found in the tropical regions of the world, and is widely used as a leaf vegetable. Basella alba is a vigorous, soft-stemmed climbing vine, and grows up to 10 m long. It has broad, heart-shaped, thick, semi-succulent green leaves, 5-12 cm wide. The leaves have a mild flavor and mucilaginous texture. Basella alba 'Rubra' has reddish-purple stem. Small pinkish white flowers are borne in the axils of the leaves, and mature into hard black seeds. Allow the seeds to dry on plant before collect. Basella alba is a good source for vitamin A, vitamin c, iron, calcium, soluble fiber. Young leaves and shoots are great in salads. They are also good in stir fry, soups and curries. Basella alba grows well in full sun or partial shade, and prefer a moist and well drained soil. Give trellis or fence for it to climb. Propagation is by cuttings or seeds.  Basella alba Author: Obsidian Soul (public domain) There's nothing better than fresh vegetables from your own garden. When you're not online reading our site, check out the programming on dish tv to learn about tips for growing an amazing vegetable garden. And you can get tasty tv deals from IL.com. | ||
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