Basil is easy to grow, but it only grows outdoors in the summer once the soil has warmed up nicely—and it’s a great companion to tomatoes! Here’s what to know about planting, growing, and harvesting basil.
A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), basil is one of the most popular culinary herbs. It’s a warm-weather annual herb that you can plant outdoors once temperatures are consistently above 50°F.
Basil is not usually seeded directly into the soil; rather, gardeners transplant small starter plants purchased at a nursery. Or, they may start the seeds themselves indoors under grow lights.
Common or sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, is the most common basil; other types include purple basil (less sweet than common basil), lemon basil (lemon flavor), and Thai basil (licorice flavor)
If you’re planning on making pesto, grow several plants. For other uses, one or two basil plants yield plenty.
For more information on how to grow basil click the following hyperlink to Farmers Almanac Basil.
For other resources please click on Gardening Know How's Basil link.
Basil Seeds, African Nunum: Description
(Ocimum gratisimum). Wonderful flavor, the best for pesto! A gigantic and sumptuous basil that is popular in African and Asian cuisines. This amazing plant has incredible flavor, a rich basil taste with hints of oregano, and a small kick of delicious spiciness! It is wonderful in salads, soups, pastas, vinegars, jellies, and killer pestos! We adore this wonderful variety also for its health properties! Popular in traditional medicine, it was clinically evaluated for its antibacterial properties. Our strain of this flavorsome plant comes from Ghana, an epicenter of basil genetics. We thank our grower Solomon Amuzu of Ghana.
Basil Seeds, Akoko Mesa: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). One of our favorites in the Baker Creek trial gardens! This plant originated in Ghana, West Africa, where it’s been used in many dishes and medicinal preparations for hundreds of years. This is one of the most common plants seen in every home of the Ghanaian people because of its numerous uses. This variety from Ghana is often used for preparing poultry. The name Akoko Mesa means “chicken dance.”
Basil Seeds, Blue Spice: Description
(Ocimum americanum). Vigorous plant with dense spikes of light purple flowers enclosed in showy deep purple bracts, making for an especially fine appearance in pots or in the garden. It has a heavy fragrance with spicy vanilla overtones that makes a pleasant contribution to both fruit salads and savory dishes. The most fragrant basil we have seen.
Basil Seeds, Cardinal: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). A delicious, fragrant culinary basil that produces huge, rich purple flower heads! These are fantastic in flower arrangements. Try the spicy-sweet leaves in your favorite recipes. They are perfect for salads, soups, and curries, and the leaves go well in many Mexican and Asian foods. A magnificent and grand variety for your garden and kitchen. Amazing flavor! Developed in Israel.
Basil Seeds, Chinese Sweet: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). A flavorful, citrusy variety that is perhaps the most tender and aromatic basil we’ve tried! This fast-growing, heat-tolerant basil provides lemony orange-flavored foliage all summer long. The leaves are smooth in texture, and even the stem is tender enough for raw eating in salad. A popular Chinese variety perfect for Asian dishes and fusion cooking! This delicious herb is hard to find in America.
Basil Seeds, Cinnamon: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). A cinnamon twist on one of our favorite garden herbs. Cinnamon basil is believed to have originated in Mexico, and indeed there are many recipes and uses for this piquant basil in Mexican cuisine. The light cinnamon and anise flavor adds the perfect touch to fruit salads, desserts, and savory preparations. The leaves also make a soothing cup of tea. Cinnamon basil contains many vitamins and minerals. It also attracts a wide range of pollinators.
Basil Seeds, Dark Purple Opal: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). The deep color makes this one extra flavorful, rich, and sweet. The fragrant deep-violet foliage will accent your floral designs with drama and perfume. Many gardeners choose to dapple the landscape with dark purple foliage, as it accents brightly colored flowers and vegetables beautifully. This variety was bred at the University of Connecticut in the 1950s when Professor Joseph M. Lent and his colleague John Scarchuck set out to improve the existing purple basil variety, which had inconsistent color issues. A purple-splotched variety from Turkey was selected from countless samples from across the globe. The result was this deeply purple, vigorous variety, which they named Dark Opal. This exemplary basil took home a bronze medal in the 1962 All-America’s Selection award.
Basil Seeds, Evivi Ntor: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). This peppery and piquant heirloom, traditionally grown by the people of the Ewe tribe in Ghana, West Africa, presents a concerto of delightful aromas and has many delicious culinary uses. Evivi Ntor means “very tasty” in the Ewe language and we must agree! The flavor is floral with a hint of pine and citrus, nuanced and bold! This particular variety is among many others in the area that are disappearing. It is traditionally used in soups, stews, sauces, juices and also to flavor local drinks. We have found this unique and delicious basil to be a stellar choice for culinary experimentation! Solomon Amuzu, of Call to Nature Permaculture in Ghana, received a sample of seeds from an 86-year-old Ewe woman, and he decided to revive and proliferate this treasured basil before it is lost.
Basil Seeds, Genovese: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). An absolutely legendary heirloom that no Italian chef can cook without. Genovese basil is the essential ingredient in basil pesto, but it’s also phenomenal in sauces, on pizzas, and any other recipe calling for basil. Genovese basil was first bred in the Northwest coastal port of Genoa, the gateway to the Italian Riviera. Most of the Genovese basil in Italy is grown in the Liguria region. Basil is grown at a very high density in greenhouses there, and the village of Pra is noted as growing the very best Genovese basil.
Basil Seeds, Lemon: Description
(Ocimum americanum). Vibrant and flavorful lemon basil is an herb that will add zip and zest to your cooking. It is a highly regarded culinary ingredient across the globe and one of our favorites for fusion and experimental cuisine. In Laos it is known as “pak i tao”; its leaves are used in soups, stews, and countless other dishes, and the seeds are soaked and made into a dessert. Lemon basil is essential to many Asian dishes and is highly fragrant.
Basil Seeds, Lettuce Leaf: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). These leaves are Jurassic in size but pleasantly mild in flavor, making Lettuce Leaf basil incredibly versatile in the kitchen. This sweet basil is just a bit more subtle than Genovese. It is great for making gallons of pesto, tossing into fragrant salads, and perfect for making delicious Lettuce Leaf basil wraps. Productive and beautiful. The huge 6-inch leaves are not only great in size but also nutritious, containing vitamin A and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium!
Basil Seeds, Lime: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). A zesty and refreshing basil variety with distinct lime fragrance and flavor. Wildly attractive to pollinators, the fragrant foliage is a delightful addition to the herb garden, containers, beds and borders. A few sprigs of lime basil tucked into a floral arrangement brings forth a burst of scent. Famous in Thai food and other Southeast Asian dishes. An excellent tea herb, it is also incredible when made into a simple syrup—so much fun in fusion cuisine, drinks and desserts!
Basil Seeds, Mammolo: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). A classic Italian Genovese basil with a tidy, compact habit. A superb container variety, Mammolo has been bred to have an exceptionally high leaf-to-stem ratio and a compact growth habit. The short internodes mean that plants are super bushy, free of undesirable leggy stems and a rangy habit. Leaves are large with a classic Italian basil aroma and flavor, without the minty smell and flavor that some experience with Italian basils. This variety is respected by large-scale growers in Italy, who need a uniform, vigorous basil with gold-standard flavor to please the discerning local palate for basil. A market grower’s favorite and a must-have for those growing in pots.
Basil Seeds, Persian: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). A really interesting and flavorful variety! Known as Reyhan throughout the varied nations of southwestern Asia. It has a distinctive aroma, both lemony and spice-like. This variety is so fragrant and nutritious, with more calcium than any other basil we have tested. Perfect for soups, salads, rice dishes and flavorful tea.
Basil Seeds, Purple Ball: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). The beautiful, fragrant and tasty purple foliage makes this basil both gourmet and ornamental. Plants reach just shy of 1-foot-tall, with a tidy, round form and plum purple color. Excellent in raised beds, window boxes, and other creative containers as well as in beds and borders.
Basil Seeds, Siam Queen Thai: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). Very strong, clove-scented basil. This is a must for curry and all Thai cooking. This selection has beautiful flowers. Very tasty. This improved variety produces very large and lovely flower heads.
Basil Seeds, Thai Holy Kaprao: Description
(Ocimum tenuiflorum). A bold and intense, authentic type of Thai basil that is difficult to find outside Asia. The delicate, slightly hairy leaves of this distinct variety are highly revered in Thailand for their piquant flavor. Its flavor notes of clove and black pepper make it much less sweet than the Thai Sweet basil, lending robust flavor to a multitude of dishes.
Basil Seeds, Thai Sweet: Description
(Ocimum basilicum). Popular sweet, spicy basil that is essential in Thai cuisine. Very flavorful with a nice licorice taste. Amazing taste of Thailand! This plant is not only a culinary favorite but also known for its medicinal value. It is also a source of calcium and vitamins. Don’t make a pot of curry without it!
