Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
-
Types
Heliconiaceae
Ocimum americanum
Number of Varieties
19420
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Thicket/Colonizing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, 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
Ovate
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
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Allergy
Toxic
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
OCIMUM x citriodorum
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Lemon Basil
In Hindi
Heliconia
नींबू तुलसी
In German
Heliconia
Limonenbasilikum
In French
Heliconia
citron basilic
In Spanish
Heliconia
Ocimum × citriodorum
In Greek
Heliconia
λεμόνι βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Heliconia
manjericão limão
In Polish
Heliconia
Bazylia cytrynowa
In Latin
Heliconia
lemon Basilius
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Lamiales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Heliconia
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
198169
1
27800
👆🏻