Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cardinal') in the Basils Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Annual
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Plant Height:	24 - 30 inches
Plant Spread:	12 -18 inches
Flower Color:	Red
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Late spring or early summer Summer Late summer or early fall
Uses:	Culinary Herb Cut Flower
Edible Parts:	Leaves
Eating Methods:	Culinary Herb/Spice Raw
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds Butterflies
Resistances:	Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds:	Days to germinate: 5 to 10 days Depth to plant seed: Barely cover Start indoors Can handle transplanting
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger

Common names

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Comments:

Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Nov 12, 2023 7:16 AM concerning plant:

Purchased this basil for its flowers and was very disappointed:
from six plants not one produced a flower in my zone 5 garden.
I personally consider it not worth the space if not going to flower.

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Posted by dyzzypyxxy (Sarasota, Fl) on Aug 23, 2014 9:27 PM concerning plant:

A good-tasting and very decorative Basil, with the largest, reddest flowers I've ever seen on a Basil. It grows in a neat, bushy habit to about 2 feet, and it tolerates our hot, humid summers here in Florida very well. The pretty flowers are a bit of a drawback in that if you want to harvest leaves for cooking, you need to remove the flowers. Take them inside to decorate your windowsill, they last well as cut flowers and sometimes will root after the flowers fade, too.

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Plant Events from our members
lovesblooms	On March 19, 2020	Seeds germinated
lovesblooms	On March 6, 2020	Seeds sown winter sow
antsinmypants	On July 30, 2023	Transplanted 6 Into pot in Arch Garden.
antsinmypants	On June 21, 2023	Seeds sown Flat #3 Row 4
gardengus	On April 14, 2023	Seeds germinated

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
This is Not Pesto Perpetuo by dyzzypyxxy	Dec 16, 2015 3:42 PM	2

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Basils Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cardinal')