Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Saraca asoca
Basil, African blue basil
Number of Varieties
160
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Subtropical forests
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
11-1
Sunset Zone
H2
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
850.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Gold, Crimson
Burgandy, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Red, Dark Salmon
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Pink, Copper
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
Fertilizers
organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Bleeding, hemorrhoids, Used as a sedative
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used for its medicinal properties
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SARACA indica
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Common Name
Ashoka Tree, Sorrowless Tree
Basil
In Hindi
Saraca इंडिका
तुलसी
In German
SARACA indica
Basilikum
In French
Saraca indica
basilic
In Spanish
indica Saraca
albahaca
In Greek
Saraca indica
βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Saraca indica
manjericão
In Polish
Saraca indica
bazylia
In Latin
Saraca indica
ocimum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Lamiales
Family
Fabaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Saraca
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Asterids
Tribe
Detarieae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
460
1
27800
👆🏻