It is naturalized in China, tropical Africa, Brazil, Belize, Colombia, the West Indies, Fiji and French Polynesia.

[2][3] Basella alba is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 metres (33 ft) in length.

Basella alba grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates, and in areas lower than 500 metres (1,600 ft) above sea level.

It will even display remarkable growth around 37 °C (99 °F), though care must be taken to avoid sunburn with higher temperatures, by providing shade cloth, screening, or umbrella cover in summer.

It grows best in well-drained and loamy soils, that are rich in organic matter, with pH ranging from 5.5 to 7.0, but can tolerate slightly lower or higher if adjustments cannot be made.

In Andhra Pradesh, a southern state in India, a curry of Basella alba and yam is made.

In Gujarat, fresh big and tender leaves are washed, dipped in besan mix and deep-fried to make crispy pakodas called "poi na bhajia".

In Vietnam, where it is called mồng tơi, it is cooked with shrimp, crab meat, luffa and jute to make soup.