Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Ocimum basilicum purpurascens
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
gardens, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
11-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Spreading
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm60.96 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm30.48 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Purple, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
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
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
OCIMUM basilicum var. purpurascens
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Purple Basil
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
बैंगनी तुलसी के पौधे
In German
Elefant von Apple
Lila Basilikum Pflanze
In French
Elephant d'Apple
plante de basilic pourpre
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
planta de albahaca morada
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Μωβ βασιλικό φυτό
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Planta da manjericão roxo
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Purpurowy bazylia roślin
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Ocimum, herba Purple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Lamiales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1150
1
27800
👆🏻