Ocimum basilicum
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- OH-sih-mum bass-IL-ih-kum
- Description
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Sweet basil is an herb in the Lamiaceae (mint) family and native to the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Thai and Genovese basil are cultivars of this plant. The fragrant edible leaves are great in soups, stews, and other meat dishes.
Sweet basil prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils. It can be grown from seed or is easily transplanted and should be done so after the last frost. Prune by pinching the tips of long stems and any flower buds. This promotes a branching, bushy form.
Sweet basil cultivars with showy purple foliage are often used as ornamentals and are perfect for containers. Plant in a bed or window box to create contrasting colored foliage. Miniature varieties are also available, which are great for mass plantings along the edge of flower beds.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids and Japanese beetles are occasional insect problems. Fusarium wilt and basil downy mildew are disease problems. There are several cultivars that are resistant to basil downy mildew.
Extension Master Gardener℠ volunteers from across the state of North Carolina conducted a trial of resistance to basil downy mildew and leaf flavor. They evaluated plant performance and taste using the cultivar 'Genovese' as the standard of reference. They found clear winners that were resistant to basil downy mildew and performed well in the garden and in the kitchen. The top cultivars were:
‘Prospera’ – This cultivar was the overall favorite among the mildew-resistant cultivars. Because of its taller stature, it required staking in some gardens, and some volunteers reported stems breaking during storms.
‘Rutgers Passion’ – This cultivar performed well in terms of its color, aroma, plant vigor, and good branching habit.
‘Rutgers Obsession’ – This cultivar was highly rated for its color and compact growth habit. It exhibited strong resistance to basil downy mildew and was the highest rated variety in taste tests.
For more information about the basil trials click here.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Vegetable, Herb and Mostly Native Pollinator Garden Vegetable Garden with Pollinator Plants in Mt. Pleasant
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'African Blue'
Fragrant but not good for eating - 'Anise'
Ornamental flowers with purple-tinted leaves. Fragrance and taste is similar to anise. 2'-2 1/2' tall. - 'Blue Spice'
Thai, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Cinnamon'
Flowers and stems are purple in color. Strong cinnamon fragrance. 2'-2 1/2' tall. - ‘Dark Opal Purple’
Purple leaves 1962 All- America selections winner - 'Genovese'
Larger leaves than traditional basil. 2' tall. - 'Greek Columnar'
- 'Greek Dwarf'
Compact 6" tall, spicy slightly anise flavor - 'Lemon'
Thai, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Lime'
Thai, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Newton'
Italian basil, 4 in. long leaves, Fusarium wilt resistant - Prospera® Compact DMR
Basil downy mildew resistant - Prospera® DMR
Basily downy mildew resistant - Prospera® Italian Large Leaf DMR
Basil downy mildew resistant - 'Purple Ruffles'
Dark purple ruffled and fringed leaves - 'Queenette'
Thai basil, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Queen of Sheba'
Often used as an ornamental, but also edible, compact good for containers - 'Red Leaf'
Red leaves, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Rubin'
Dark purple leaves, consistent purple color - ‘Rutgers Devotion-DMR'
Resistant to basil downy mildew - 'Rutgers Obsession-DMR’
Resistant to basil downy mildew - 'Rutgers Passion-DMR'
Resistant to basil downy mildew - ‘Rutgers Thunderstruck-DMR'
Resistant to basil downy mildew - 'Siam Queen'
Thai basil-large leave purple flowers/stems. Flavor resembles spicy licorice-mint. Winner of the 1997 All American Selection. - 'Spicy Globe'
Dwarf, good for containers or edging - 'Sweet Dani'
Lemon fragrance, good dried, 1998 All American Selections winner
- 'African Blue'
- 'African Blue', 'Anise', 'Blue Spice', 'Cinnamon', ‘Dark Opal Purple’, 'Genovese', 'Greek Columnar', 'Greek Dwarf', 'Lemon', 'Lime', 'Newton', Prospera® Compact DMR, Prospera® DMR, Prospera® Italian Large Leaf DMR, 'Purple Ruffles', 'Queenette', 'Queen of Sheba', 'Red Leaf', 'Rubin', ‘Rutgers Devotion-DMR', 'Rutgers Obsession-DMR’, 'Rutgers Passion-DMR', ‘Rutgers Thunderstruck-DMR', 'Siam Queen', 'Spicy Globe', 'Sweet Dani'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'African Blue'
Fragrant but not good for eating - 'Anise'
Ornamental flowers with purple-tinted leaves. Fragrance and taste is similar to anise. 2'-2 1/2' tall. - 'Blue Spice'
Thai, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Cinnamon'
Flowers and stems are purple in color. Strong cinnamon fragrance. 2'-2 1/2' tall. - ‘Dark Opal Purple’
Purple leaves 1962 All- America selections winner - 'Genovese'
Larger leaves than traditional basil. 2' tall. - 'Greek Columnar'
- 'Greek Dwarf'
Compact 6" tall, spicy slightly anise flavor - 'Lemon'
Thai, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Lime'
Thai, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Newton'
Italian basil, 4 in. long leaves, Fusarium wilt resistant - Prospera® Compact DMR
Basil downy mildew resistant - Prospera® DMR
Basily downy mildew resistant - Prospera® Italian Large Leaf DMR
Basil downy mildew resistant - 'Purple Ruffles'
Dark purple ruffled and fringed leaves - 'Queenette'
Thai basil, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Queen of Sheba'
Often used as an ornamental, but also edible, compact good for containers - 'Red Leaf'
Red leaves, basil downy mildew resistant - 'Rubin'
Dark purple leaves, consistent purple color - ‘Rutgers Devotion-DMR'
Resistant to basil downy mildew - 'Rutgers Obsession-DMR’
Resistant to basil downy mildew - 'Rutgers Passion-DMR'
Resistant to basil downy mildew - ‘Rutgers Thunderstruck-DMR'
Resistant to basil downy mildew - 'Siam Queen'
Thai basil-large leave purple flowers/stems. Flavor resembles spicy licorice-mint. Winner of the 1997 All American Selection. - 'Spicy Globe'
Dwarf, good for containers or edging - 'Sweet Dani'
Lemon fragrance, good dried, 1998 All American Selections winner
- 'African Blue'
- 'African Blue', 'Anise', 'Blue Spice', 'Cinnamon', ‘Dark Opal Purple’, 'Genovese', 'Greek Columnar', 'Greek Dwarf', 'Lemon', 'Lime', 'Newton', Prospera® Compact DMR, Prospera® DMR, Prospera® Italian Large Leaf DMR, 'Purple Ruffles', 'Queenette', 'Queen of Sheba', 'Red Leaf', 'Rubin', ‘Rutgers Devotion-DMR', 'Rutgers Obsession-DMR’, 'Rutgers Passion-DMR', ‘Rutgers Thunderstruck-DMR', 'Siam Queen', 'Spicy Globe', 'Sweet Dani'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ocimum
- Species:
- basilicum
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Plant tops can be used to make green and yellow dyes.
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical Africa and Asia
- Play Value:
- Fragrance
- Edibility:
- Leaves and flowers in tea, as flavoring
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 4 in. - 1 ft. 2 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Edible
- Herb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The small white flowers are lipped in shape. They are arranged in whorled racemes with bracts at the base. Some ornamental varieties have spikes of showy purple flowers. Blooms in late summer.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Variegated
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are bright green and are attached directly to the base of the stem. Simple leaves and opposite in arrangement at right angles to each other. Ovate in shape with smooth margins and slight bulging between the veins. 1/2"-3" in length. Very fragrant. Ornamental varieties may have purple or variegated leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stem is thin and hollow and has a branching tendency. The cross-section is square in shape.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Rabbits
