Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Shrub
Origin
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Mexico
Types
Basil, African blue basil
Pink cestrum, Red cestrum, Purple cestrum
Number of Varieties
60175
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
gardens, High elevation, Roadsides
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-1
12-10
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, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Burgandy, Lavender
Magenta, Crimson, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Purple, Bronze
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Purple, Bronze
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Purple, Bronze
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
Average Water Needs
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai, Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
Ocimum tenuiflorum
CESTRUM elegans
Common Name
Basil
Crimson cestrum, Elegant poison-berry, Purple cestrum, Red cestrum
In Hindi
तुलसी
Butterfly Flower plant
In German
Basilikum
Schmetterlings-Blumen- Anlage
In French
basilic
usine de fleur de papillon
In Spanish
albahaca
planta de la flor de mariposa
In Greek
βασιλικός
φυτό Πεταλούδα λουλούδι
In Portuguese
manjericão
planta de flor de borboleta
In Polish
bazylia
Motyl Kwiat roślin
In Latin
ocimum
Flos plantae Gloria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Solanales
Family
Lamiaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Cestrum
Clade
Asterids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cestreae
Subfamily
-
Browallioideae
Number of Species
60250
1
27800
👆🏻