Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Ocimum basilicum purpurascens
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
gardens, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-89-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
11-1
Sunset Zone
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
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
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm60.96 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.48 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Purple, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
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
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
-
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
OCIMUM basilicum var. purpurascens
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Purple Basil
In Hindi
Mousemelon
बैंगनी तुलसी के पौधे
In German
Maus Melone
Lila Basilikum Pflanze
In French
Mousemelon
plante de basilic pourpre
In Spanish
Mousemelon
planta de albahaca morada
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Μωβ βασιλικό φυτό
In Portuguese
melão rato
Planta da manjericão roxo
In Polish
mysz melona
Purpurowy bazylia roślin
In Latin
mouse melon
Ocimum, herba Purple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Lamiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Asterids
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
50150
1
27800
👆🏻