Plant spotlight: Herbalea ‘Red Ball’

Container tips
Combine with other flowering and foliage plants to create beautiful and flavorful plantings that allow more intensive small-space gardening. Herbalea basil works well with many standard bedding plants like geranium, calibrachoa and osteospermum. Great as an inexpensive component of mixed cache pots for late spring through summer promotions. Flowering varieties are excellent accents to herbs. They are edible, but not as food-friendly as the delayed flowering varieties.

Grows to height/width
16 to 18 inches x 18 inches

Sun / shade requirements
Full sun

USDA Zones
Zones 10 and 11

How long has it been on the market?
Collection introduced in 2014 with new additions this year.

Consumer care requirements
Both culinary and ornamental types are resistant to downy mildew resistant and well branched, so they require little post-planting care outside of typical watering and fertilization.

Habit
Varies from tight “topiary ball” to well-branched, billowy flowering plants

Retail merchandising/display suggestions
Herb combination containers with ethnic food themes: Lhasa Basil with lemon grass and cilantro; Ajaka with tomatoes for a Caprese salad theme Use in pollinator-friendly displays.