Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
California
-
Types
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-109-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange 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
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Solid Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
Acidic
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Body Ache, Stomach pain
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
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
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Christmas Berry, California Holly
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
Toyon
नींबू तुलसी
In German
Toyon
Limonenbasilikum
In French
Toyon
citron basilic
In Spanish
Toyon
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
Toyon
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Toyon
manjericão limão
In Polish
Toyon
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
Toyon
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Lamiales
Family
Rosaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Heteromeles
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Asterids
Tribe
Maleae
-
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
-
Number of Species
6169
1
27800
👆🏻