Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Ocimum basilicum purpurascens
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Wet lands
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-1
12-10
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
H1, H2
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.96 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.48 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Light Pink, Lavender
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
OCIMUM basilicum var. purpurascens
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Purple Basil
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
बैंगनी तुलसी के पौधे
Lignum Vitae
In German
Lila Basilikum Pflanze
Lignum Vitae
In French
plante de basilic pourpre
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
planta de albahaca morada
Palo santo
In Greek
Μωβ βασιλικό φυτό
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Planta da manjericão roxo
pau-santo
In Polish
Purpurowy bazylia roślin
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Ocimum, herba Purple
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Sapindales
Family
Lamiaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Guaiacum
Clade
Asterids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1503
1
27800
👆🏻