Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Shrubs
Herbs
Origin
Madagascar
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Purple vinca, Vinca, cherry red, strawberry color
Basil, African blue basil
Number of Varieties
3060
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
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
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
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1.97 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
2.96 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Magenta, Pink, Rose
Burgandy, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Fall, Spring, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Pollution, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require lot of watering, Medium
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune ocassionally
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Botrytis Blight, Canker, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Root rot
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
Intestinal gas, Nausea, Vomiting
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache, Wounds
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
Catharanthus roseus
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Common Name
Madagascar periwinkle or rosy periwinkle
Basil
In Hindi
Periwinkle
तुलसी
In German
Immergrün
Basilikum
In French
Pervenche
basilic
In Spanish
Bígaro
albahaca
In Greek
μυρτιά
βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Mirta
manjericão
In Polish
Barwinek
bazylia
In Latin
Periwinkle
ocimum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Mollusca
Tracheophyta
Class
Gastropoda
Magnoliopsida
Order
Geraniales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Catharanthus
Ocimum
Clade
-
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
860
1
27800
👆🏻