Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Herbs
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
-
Types
Peanut cactus
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
12820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 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
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, 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
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
Skin cuts
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
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
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
नींबू तुलसी
In German
Igel Kaktus
Limonenbasilikum
In French
hérisson cactus
citron basilic
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
manjericão limão
In Polish
jeż kaktus
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
cactus
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Cactaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Echinopsis
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Asterids
Tribe
Trichocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
2000169
1
27800
👆🏻