Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Herbs
Origin
South America
-
Types
V. × heilbornii
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 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
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
-
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
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, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
Babaco
नींबू तुलसी
In German
Babaco
Limonenbasilikum
In French
Babaco
citron basilic
In Spanish
Babaco
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
Babaco
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Babaco
manjericão limão
In Polish
Babaco
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
Babaco
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Lamiales
Family
Caricaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1169
1
27800
👆🏻