Holy basil is an aromatic annual or short-lived pernnial or subshrub in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Southern Asia. The genus name comes from the Greek word okimon which means aromatic herb. While holy basil is a close relative of culinary basil, its leaves tend to have a purple cast, its flowers are not as large, and it is shorter-lived. This erect multistemmed subshrub grows rapidly to a height of 3 feet and easily propagates itself by seed. It prefers full sun in moist, well drained soil. While it tolerates a wide variety of soil types and pH conditions it does poorly in water logged soils. Plant it in a sensory or herb garden to enjoy its spicy fragrance but place it in a confined area or container to manage its spread. Click here to see a calendar of planting schedules, time-to-harvest, and recommended spacing. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Japanese beetles can skeletonize and defoliate leaves. Remove them by hand. It can be considered an aggressive weed in regions outside its native range.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheOcimum kilimandscharicum x basilicumThymus serpyllum 'Elfin'Thymus vulgaris
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Annual; Edible; Herb; Herbaceous Perennial
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Pungently fragrant pubescent leaves are simple, elliptic to oblong with serrate to entire margins. Leaves are 1.5 to 3 inches long and .5 inches wide. Hairs are on both sides but especially on veins on the underside.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Panicle; Raceme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
White, pale pink or lavender tiny tubular flowers with green or purple sepals in terminal panicles or racemes that are 4-12 cm long.
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green; Purple/Lavender
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Purple-green to brown smooth to slightly pitted elliptical nutlets 0.8-1.2 mm long with numerous seeds inside.
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Highly pubescent square stems in purple or green.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southeast Asia
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Edibility
A culinary herb especially in Asia used in the same ways as sweet basil though it is commonly cooked or used in teas rather than used raw. Fragrant leaves have a spicy bite that is a mix of clove, mint, and basil flavor.
Uses (ethnobotany)
A plant used in the Hindu religion and Ayurvedic medicine to cleanse the body, and for stomach and skin issues.