Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Origin
New Zealand
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Metrosideros excelsa
Holy basil-
Habitat
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-12
9-11
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Red, Crimson
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sandy Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Gray
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Gray
Light Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
Yes
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Dysentry
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Wood
Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Furniture
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
METROSIDEROS excelsa
OCIMUM basilicum 'Napoletano'
Common Name
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
Basil
In Hindi
pohutukawa
तुलसी
In German
pohutukawa
Basilikum
In French
pohutukawa
basilic
In Spanish
pohutukawa
albahaca
In Greek
pohutukawa
βασιλικός
In Portuguese
pohutukawa
manjericão
In Polish
pohutukawa
bazylia
In Latin
pohutukawa
ocimum
Family
Myrtaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Metrosideros
Ocimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Asterids
Importance of Pohutukawa and Basil
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Pohutukawa and Basil. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Pohutukawa and Basil as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Pohutukawa is Astringent and Dysentry whereas of Basil is Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders and Vomiting. Pohutukawa has beauty benefits as follows: while Basil has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Pohutukawa vs Basil
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Pohutukawa vs Basil and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Pohutukawa are whereas of Basil have Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Pohutukawa has no showy fruits and Basil has no showy fruits. Also Pohutukawa is not flowering and Basil is not flowering . You can compare Pohutukawa and Basil facts and facts of other plants too.