Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Aquatics
Herbs
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
-
Types
-
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Terrestrial, Upland, Wet lands
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Thicket/Colonizing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brownish Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs Very high moisture
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
bees
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
allergic reaction, Pollen
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bog Garden, Showy Purposes, Water gardening, Wild gardens
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Insect Bites, Treating fever
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Grown in botanical gardens as a specimen, Used as Ornamental plant
Added to salads, Powdered and mixed with tea, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes, Used to flavour soups
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SAURURUS cernuus
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Lizard's Tail
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
Saururus cernuus
नींबू तुलसी
In German
Saururus cernuus
Limonenbasilikum
In French
Saururus cernuus
citron basilic
In Spanish
cernuus Saururus
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
Saururus cernuus
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Saururus cernuus
manjericão limão
In Polish
Saururus cernuus
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
Saururi cernuus
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Piperales
Lamiales
Family
Saururaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Saururus
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1169
1
27800
👆🏻