Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Southeastern Asia
Types
Ocimum basilicum purpurascens
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
3200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Wet lands
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-1
12-8
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, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.96 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.48 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Light Pink, Lavender
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
OCIMUM basilicum var. purpurascens
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Purple Basil
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
बैंगनी तुलसी के पौधे
अरवी
In German
Lila Basilikum Pflanze
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
plante de basilic pourpre
Colocasia
In Spanish
planta de albahaca morada
Colocasia
In Greek
Μωβ βασιλικό φυτό
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Planta da manjericão roxo
Colocasia
In Polish
Purpurowy bazylia roślin
Kolokazja
In Latin
Ocimum, herba Purple
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Arales
Family
Lamiaceae
Araceae
Genus
Ocimum
Alocasia
Clade
Asterids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
-
Aroideae
Number of Species
15010
1
27800
👆🏻