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Vegetable Full Sun Regular water

Malabar Spinach

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Tropical vine with thick, succulent leaves. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 22°C and 32°C, malabar spinach adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. Give it full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist, and expect to harvest in roughly 50-70 days. A staple of kitchen gardens and allotments, it rewards even first-time growers with a generous harvest.

Harvest 50-70 days
Temp Range 15°C — 38°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Malabar Spinach

Malabar Spinach takes 50-70 days to harvest. It grows best in 22–32°C with full sun and regular watering. Malabar Spinach is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Malabar Spinach in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
50-70 days

Temperature Range

22-32°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 22–32°C Tolerates: 15–38°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Thrives in heat when regular spinach bolts. Climbing vine needs trellis. Wait until soil warms to at least 22°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 15°C to 38°C
  • Optimal growing: 22°C to 32°C
  • Harvest in 50-70 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Malabar Spinach loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Malabar Spinach needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Malabar spinach (Basella alba — green form, Basella rubra — red-stemmed form) is the premier heat-season spinach substitute, thriving precisely when regular spinach bolts. It requires rich, well-draining, moisture-retentive soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0. Direct sow after the last frost when soil reaches 20°C minimum, or start indoors 4 weeks early. Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours before sowing to break dormancy; germination is erratic without scarification. Sow 1 cm deep, spacing 30–45 cm apart at the base of a trellis at least 2 metres tall — Malabar spinach is a vigorous twining vine. Water frequently; the large succulent leaves lose significant moisture and the plant wilts dramatically under drought stress. Feed monthly with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser to promote leafy growth. In humid, hot summers it grows explosively. In cool weather below 15°C, growth slows dramatically and the flavour becomes slightly mucilaginous.

Common Pests & Problems

Malabar spinach has remarkably few pest problems in tropical and subtropical climates. Leaf miners occasionally create trails in the thick leaves but are purely cosmetic; damage does not affect the plant's vigour. Aphids may colonise growing tips in cooler conditions; dislodge with water. In cooler climates, Cercospora leaf spot produces circular tan-brown spots on older leaves — remove affected foliage and improve air circulation. The primary challenge is not pests but temperature — below 15°C the plant sulks; below 10°C it deteriorates rapidly. Root rot can occur in poorly drained soil, particularly during establishment; ensure excellent drainage and do not overwater young plants.

Harvest & Storage

Begin harvesting Malabar spinach when stems reach 20–30 cm by cutting the growing tips — this immediately stimulates multiple side shoots and exponentially increases yield. Harvest tips and young leaves regularly; once stems become thick and woody, the leaves lose palatability. The thick, succulent leaves wilt quickly after cutting — harvest in the morning and use the same day or refrigerate immediately in a sealed container for 2–3 days. Malabar spinach freezes well after blanching for 1 minute — the texture changes to become slightly gelatinous, similar to cooked okra, but the flavour is preserved for use in cooked dishes.

Popular Varieties

Basella alba is the green-stemmed form with mid-green fleshy leaves — the standard culinary type widely grown across tropical Asia and Africa, producing the mildest flavour. Basella rubra is the red-stemmed variety with striking magenta-purple stems and veining, equally edible with a very similar flavour but exceptionally ornamental — the red pigment (betacyanin) bleeds into cooking water giving dishes a pink tint. 'Rubra' selections with the most intensely coloured stems are sometimes labelled 'Malabar Red Stem' in seed catalogues. There are no widely differentiated named cultivars — plants are grown primarily as standard species or selected by stem colour.

Where to Grow Malabar Spinach

Malabar Spinach can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍

Europe

80 cities
🌏

Asia

79 cities
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North America

78 cities
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Africa

39 cities
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South America

39 cities
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Oceania

19 cities
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Middle East

16 cities

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
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Amsterdam, NL medium
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Ankara, TR medium
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Antalya, TR medium
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Athens, GR medium
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Barcelona, ES medium
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Bari, IT medium
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Belgrade, RS medium
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Bergen, NO medium
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Berlin, DE medium
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Bilbao, ES medium
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Bologna, IT medium
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Bordeaux, FR medium
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Bratislava, SK medium
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Brussels, BE medium
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Bucharest, RO medium
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Budapest, HU medium
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Catania, IT medium
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Cologne, DE medium
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Copenhagen, DK medium
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Corfu, GR medium
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Cork, IE medium
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Dublin, IE medium
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Dubrovnik, HR medium
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Edinburgh, GB medium
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Florence, IT medium
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Frankfurt, DE medium
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Gdansk, PL medium
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Genoa, IT medium
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Glasgow, GB medium
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Gothenburg, SE medium
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Hamburg, DE medium
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Helsinki, FI medium
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Heraklion, GR medium
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Istanbul, TR medium
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Izmir, TR medium
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Krakow, PL medium
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Kyiv, UA medium
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Limassol, CY medium
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Lisbon, PT medium
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Ljubljana, SI medium
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London, GB medium
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Lyon, FR medium
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Madrid, ES medium
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Malaga, ES medium
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Marseille, FR medium
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Milan, IT medium
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Munich, DE medium
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Naples, IT medium
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Nice, FR medium
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Nicosia, CY medium
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Oslo, NO medium
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Palermo, IT medium
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Paris, FR medium
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Porto, PT medium
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Poznan, PL medium
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Prague, CZ medium
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Reykjavik, IS medium
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Riga, LV medium
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Rome, IT medium
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Seville, ES medium
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Sofia, BG medium
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Split, HR medium
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Stockholm, SE medium
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Strasbourg, FR medium
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Stuttgart, DE medium
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Tallinn, EE medium
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Thessaloniki, GR medium
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Tirana, AL medium
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Toulouse, FR medium
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Turin, IT medium
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Turku, FI medium
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Valencia, ES medium
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Valletta, MT medium
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Verona, IT medium
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Vienna, AT medium
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Vilnius, LT medium
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Warsaw, PL medium
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Zagreb, HR medium
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Zurich, CH medium
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
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Almaty, KZ medium
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Bali, ID medium
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Bandung, ID medium
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Bangalore, IN medium
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Bangkok, TH medium
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Beijing, CN medium
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Busan, KR medium
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Cebu, PH medium
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Chandigarh, IN medium
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Chengdu, CN medium
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Chennai, IN medium
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Chiang Mai, TH medium
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Chittagong, BD medium
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Chongqing, CN medium
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Coimbatore, IN medium
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Colombo, LK medium
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Da Nang, VN medium
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Dalian, CN medium
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Davao, PH medium
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Delhi, IN medium
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Dhaka, BD medium
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Dharan, NP medium
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Fukuoka, JP medium
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Galle, LK medium
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Guangzhou, CN medium
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Hangzhou, CN medium
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Hanoi, VN medium
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Harbin, CN medium
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
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Hong Kong, HK medium
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Hyderabad, IN medium
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Incheon, KR medium
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Indore, IN medium
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Islamabad, PK medium
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Jaipur, IN medium
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Jakarta, ID medium
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Jeju, KR medium
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Johor Bahru, MY medium
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Karachi, PK medium
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Kathmandu, NP medium
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Kochi, IN medium
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Kolkata, IN medium
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Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
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Kunming, CN medium
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Kyoto, JP medium
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Lahore, PK medium
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Lucknow, IN medium
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Manila, PH medium
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Mumbai, IN medium
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Nagoya, JP medium
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Nanjing, CN medium
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Nha Trang, VN medium
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Okinawa, JP medium
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Osaka, JP medium
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Pattaya, TH medium
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Penang, MY medium
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Phnom Penh, KH medium
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Pune, IN medium
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Sapporo, JP medium
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Seoul, KR medium
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Shanghai, CN medium
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Shenzhen, CN medium
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Siem Reap, KH medium
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Singapore, SG medium
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Surabaya, ID medium
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Surat, IN medium
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Taipei, TW medium
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Tashkent, UZ medium
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Tbilisi, GE medium
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Tokyo, JP medium
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Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
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Varanasi, IN medium
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Vientiane, LA medium
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Visakhapatnam, IN medium
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Wuhan, CN medium
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Xi'an, CN medium
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Xiamen, CN medium
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Yangon, MM medium
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
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Anchorage, US medium
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Atlanta, US medium
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Austin, US medium
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Baltimore, US medium
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Baton Rouge, US medium
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Boise, US medium
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Boston, US medium
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Bridgetown, BB medium
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Buffalo, US medium
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Calgary, CA medium
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Cancun, MX medium
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Charleston, US medium
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Charlotte, US medium
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Chattanooga, US medium
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Chicago, US medium
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Denver, US medium
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Des Moines, US medium
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Detroit, US medium
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Edmonton, CA medium
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El Paso, US medium
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Fargo, US medium
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Fresno, US medium
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Guadalajara, MX medium
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Halifax, CA medium
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Hartford, US medium
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Havana, CU medium
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Honolulu, US medium
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Houston, US medium
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Jacksonville, US medium
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Kansas City, US medium
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Kingston, JM medium
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Knoxville, US medium
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Las Vegas, US medium
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Little Rock, US medium
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Los Angeles, US medium
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Louisville, US medium
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Lubbock, US medium
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Madison, US medium
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Memphis, US medium
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Mexico City, MX medium
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Miami, US medium
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Milwaukee, US medium
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Minneapolis, US medium
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Monterrey, MX medium
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Montreal, CA medium
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Nashville, US medium
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New Orleans, US medium
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New York, US medium
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Oaxaca, MX medium
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Oklahoma City, US medium
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Omaha, US medium
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Ottawa, CA medium
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Panama City, PA medium
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Phoenix, US medium
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Pittsburgh, US medium
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Portland, US medium
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Puebla, MX medium
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Quebec City, CA medium
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Raleigh, US medium
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Richmond, US medium
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Sacramento, US medium
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Salt Lake City, US medium
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San Diego, US medium
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San Francisco, US medium
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San Jose, CR medium
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Santo Domingo, DO medium
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Saskatoon, CA medium
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Savannah, US medium
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Seattle, US medium
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Spokane, US medium
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St. Louis, US medium
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Tampa, US medium
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Toronto, CA medium
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Tucson, US medium
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Vancouver, CA medium
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Victoria, CA medium
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Winnipeg, CA medium
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
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Accra, GH medium
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Addis Ababa, ET medium
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Algiers, DZ medium
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Antananarivo, MG medium
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Arusha, TZ medium
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Bamako, ML medium
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Bloemfontein, ZA medium
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Cairo, EG medium
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Cape Town, ZA medium
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Casablanca, MA medium
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Dakar, SN medium
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Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
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Douala, CM medium
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Durban, ZA medium
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Entebbe, UG medium
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Fez, MA medium
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Freetown, SL medium
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Harare, ZW medium
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Johannesburg, ZA medium
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Kampala, UG medium
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Kigali, RW medium
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Kinshasa, CD medium
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Lagos, NG medium
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Libreville, GA medium
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Lilongwe, MW medium
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Lome, TG medium
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Luanda, AO medium
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Lusaka, ZM medium
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Maputo, MZ medium
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Marrakech, MA medium
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Mombasa, KE medium
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Nairobi, KE medium
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Ouagadougou, BF medium
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Port Louis, MU medium
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Pretoria, ZA medium
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Tunis, TN medium
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Windhoek, NA medium
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Zanzibar, TZ medium
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
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Asuncion, PY medium
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Barranquilla, CO medium
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Belem, BR medium
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Bogota, CO medium
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Brasilia, BR medium
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Buenos Aires, AR medium
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Cali, CO medium
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Campinas, BR medium
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Caracas, VE medium
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Cartagena, CO medium
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Concepcion, CL medium
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Cordoba, AR medium
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Curitiba, BR medium
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Cusco, PE medium
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Fortaleza, BR medium
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Georgetown, GY medium
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Goiania, BR medium
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Guayaquil, EC medium
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La Paz, BO medium
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Lima, PE medium
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Manaus, BR medium
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Medellin, CO medium
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Mendoza, AR medium
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Montevideo, UY medium
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Paramaribo, SR medium
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Port of Spain, TT medium
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Porto Alegre, BR medium
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Quito, EC medium
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Recife, BR medium
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Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
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Rosario, AR medium
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Salvador, BR medium
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Santa Cruz, BO medium
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Santiago, CL medium
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Sao Paulo, BR medium
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Sucre, BO medium
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Trujillo, PE medium
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Valparaiso, CL medium
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
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Alice Springs, AU medium
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Auckland, NZ medium
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Brisbane, AU medium
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Cairns, AU medium
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Canberra, AU medium
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Christchurch, NZ medium
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Darwin, AU medium
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Dunedin, NZ medium
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Gold Coast, AU medium
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Hamilton, NZ medium
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Hobart, AU medium
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Melbourne, AU medium
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Noumea, NC medium
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Perth, AU medium
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Suva, FJ medium
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Sydney, AU medium
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Townsville, AU medium
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Wellington, NZ medium
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
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Amman, JO medium
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Baghdad, IQ medium
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Beirut, LB medium
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Doha, QA medium
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Dubai, AE medium
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Erbil, IQ medium
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Jeddah, SA medium
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Kuwait City, KW medium
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Manama, BH medium
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Muscat, OM medium
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Riyadh, SA medium
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Sana'a, YE medium
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Tabriz, IR medium
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Tehran, IR medium
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Tel Aviv, IL medium
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When should I plant malabar spinach in my city?

The best time to plant malabar spinach depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow malabar spinach in winter?

Malabar Spinach is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Malabar Spinach Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Malabar Spinach seeds and starter plants online.

Shop on Burpee Search on Amazon

People Also Search For

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Frequently Asked Questions about Malabar Spinach

When should I plant malabar spinach?

The best time to plant malabar spinach depends on your local climate. Malabar Spinach grows best in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C (can tolerate 15°C to 38°C). Malabar Spinach is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can malabar spinach grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Malabar Spinach can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Malabar Spinach requires full sun and regular watering.

How long does malabar spinach take to grow?

Malabar Spinach typically takes 50-70 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Thrives in heat when regular spinach bolts. Climbing vine needs trellis. Wait until soil warms to at least 22°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Malabar Spinach

See the planting calendar for Malabar Spinach in these popular cities:

London, GBMumbai, INNew York, USParis, FRSingapore, SGSydney, AUTokyo, JPToronto, CA

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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