Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Ocimum basilicum purpurascens
Number of Varieties
53
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
gardens, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12*7
11-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 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
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2.40 cm60.96 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
24.00 cm30.48 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Orange Red
Purple, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Ivory
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
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
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BASELLA alba
OCIMUM basilicum var. purpurascens
Common Name
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
Purple Basil
In Hindi
पोई
बैंगनी तुलसी के पौधे
In German
Malabarspinat
Lila Basilikum Pflanze
In French
L’épinard de Malabar
plante de basilic pourpre
In Spanish
espinaca de Malabar
planta de albahaca morada
In Greek
Malabar Σπανάκι
Μωβ βασιλικό φυτό
In Portuguese
Malabar espinafre
Planta da manjericão roxo
In Polish
Szpinak Malabar
Purpurowy bazylia roślin
In Latin
Spinach Malabar
Ocimum, herba Purple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Basellaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Basella
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Asterids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
60150
1
27800
👆🏻