Malabar Spinach is native to India and tropical moist lowlands of South Asia, also called Ceylon or Sri Lankan spinach, vine spinach or creeping spinach. It occurs in two varieties, Basella rubra, the red stemmed variety growing in the food forest at Beelarong, and Basella alba.
It is a rambling perennial vine in warm climates, which grows up a structure or provides ground cover, preferring moist soil with partial shade to full sun.
Propagation is by runner, which roots easily, or by seed.
The leaves and young stems are cooked in omelette, stir fry, curry or soup, with fish, chicken, beef, lamb, or tofu, and young leaves can be used fresh in salads. It is high in Vitamin C and A, and a good source of calcium and iron. The larger leaves and stems are gelatinous, containing mucilage, which is a good source of soluble fibre.
Small pale pink flowers ripen to purple black berries which can be used to colour drinks.
It grows well in Brisbane’s climate, and is easy to remove where it has overgrown or self-seeded.
