Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Southeastern Asia
Types
Holy basil-
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
160200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
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
15.20 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink, Lavender
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Purple, Bronze
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Purple, Bronze
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Purple, Bronze
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Transplanting
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
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
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
-
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
Showy
Insignificant
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
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
OCIMUM basilicum 'Napoletano'
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Basil
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
तुलसी
अरवी
In German
Basilikum
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
basilic
Colocasia
In Spanish
albahaca
Colocasia
In Greek
βασιλικός
Colocasia
In Portuguese
manjericão
Colocasia
In Polish
bazylia
Kolokazja
In Latin
ocimum
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
👆🏻