Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Shrub
Origin
-
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Ocimum americanum
-
Number of Varieties
202
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
11-7
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, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Tan
Brown, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Added to salads, Powdered and mixed with tea, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes, Used to flavour soups
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
OCIMUM x citriodorum
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Common Name
Lemon Basil
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
In Hindi
नींबू तुलसी
Red Cardinal
In German
Limonenbasilikum
Red Cardinal
In French
citron basilic
Cardinal rouge
In Spanish
Ocimum × citriodorum
Cárdenas
In Greek
λεμόνι βασιλικός
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
In Portuguese
manjericão limão
Cardeal vermelho
In Polish
Bazylia cytrynowa
Red Cardinal
In Latin
lemon Basilius
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fabales
Family
Lamiaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Erythrina
Clade
Asterids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
-
Faboideae
Number of Species
16910
1
27800
👆🏻