Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa
-
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
2020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
Toxic
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Added to salads, Powdered and mixed with tea, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes, Used to flavour soups
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Carissia
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
Carissa
नींबू तुलसी
In German
carissa
Limonenbasilikum
In French
carissa
citron basilic
In Spanish
carissa
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
carissa
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
carissa
manjericão limão
In Polish
carissa
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
carissa
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Carissa
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Asterids
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
100169
1
27800
👆🏻