Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa
-
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Herb
Number of Varieties
2020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
gardens, Grassland, Hillside, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
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
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Cut or pinch the stems, Do not prune during shooting season, Prune regularly, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
constipation, Diarrhea, Headache, Kidney problems, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for fragrance
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
OCIMUM 'African Blue'
Common Name
Carissia
African Blue Basil, Hybrid Basil
In Hindi
Carissa
अफ्रीकी ब्लू तुलसी
In German
carissa
African Blue Basilikum
In French
carissa
Bleu basilic africaine
In Spanish
carissa
Albahaca azul africana
In Greek
carissa
Αφρικής Μπλε βασιλικό
In Portuguese
carissa
Africano manjericão azul
In Polish
carissa
Afrykański Niebieski bazylią
In Latin
carissa
अफ्रीकी ब्लू तुलसी
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Carissa
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Basal Tricolpates
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
-
Number of Species
1001
1
27800
👆🏻