Malabar Spinach have some antioxidant properties and contains many vitamins & minerals. Then recently we had a heat wave. This healthy vegetable has many common names, including basella alba, vine spinach, climbing spinach, red vine spinach, and buffalo spinach. Both red- and green-leaf Malabar spinach is readily available from seed sources. However, for colder climates, it might face a growth slowdown and start flowering with burgundy buds. The edible leaves of Malabar spinach have a similar taste to spinach with a mild peppery, citrus flavor. Problems in Growth. Malabar spinach may be direct seeded in rows spaced 1 foot apart, with seeds spaced 1 to 2 inches and thinned to 6 inches between plants. Malabar spinach is a popular tropical leafy-green vegetable. Malabar Spinach grows as a spreading vine along the ground or climbing on a trellis; a trellis is recommended to minimize leaf diseases. Enjoy Malabar spinach raw or mixed in a salad. I read that malabar spinach is a tropical plant which loves heat, so I assumed it would do even better in the heat. So, I had a malabar spinach plant which was doing great, slowly growing over a couple of months and growing more vines and leaves. Eat young leaves for best flavor. In warmer climates, this spinach has the potential to come back the following year again. Spinach grows and tastes best in cool weather. The plant is low in calories and also has a high amount of protein in relation to its weight. Malabar spinach is a resilient plant that can grow well in the summer heat. malabar spinach problem. Cook it and use it similar to spinach, kale or Swiss chard in stir fries, and summer soups. Malabar Spinach, or Basella Alba, is a nutritious, easy-to-grow vegetable that is typically found in Asia and Africa. It contains vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and, iron. Weed control is important, with mulching or hand weeding necessary to limit weed pressure. Common spinach problems and issues with spinach are sometimes caused by the way we grow the plant and environmental conditions. carryover could be a problem. manic_gardener_ 2 months ago. The thick mucilaginous leaves are an excellent dark green leafy vegetable for hot and humid climates. There are two species of Malabar Spinach, Basella alba, which is green and B. rubra, which has purple stems. Malabar Spinach is also a great source […] In hot weather, seeds are slow to germinate and may not germinate at all.