Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Aquatics
Origin
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Types
Basil, African blue basil
-
Number of Varieties
601
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
Moist Soils, Terrestrial, Upland, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-113-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-1
11-1
Sunset Zone
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
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Burgandy, Lavender
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Brownish Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Purple, Bronze
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Purple, Bronze
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Purple, Bronze
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Transplanting
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
Needs Very high moisture
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
bees
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
-
Bees, Flies
Allergy
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
allergic reaction, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bog Garden, Showy Purposes, Water gardening, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Insect Bites, Treating fever
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Grown in botanical gardens as a specimen, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Container, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
Ocimum tenuiflorum
SAURURUS cernuus
Common Name
Basil
Lizard's Tail
In Hindi
तुलसी
Saururus cernuus
In German
Basilikum
Saururus cernuus
In French
basilic
Saururus cernuus
In Spanish
albahaca
cernuus Saururus
In Greek
βασιλικός
Saururus cernuus
In Portuguese
manjericão
Saururus cernuus
In Polish
bazylia
Saururus cernuus
In Latin
ocimum
Saururi cernuus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Piperales
Family
Lamiaceae
Saururaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Saururus
Clade
Asterids
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
601
1
27800
👆🏻