Ocimum

These warm weather annuals are commonly known as Basil. The leaves are used as flavoring for a variety of foods. The different types vary greatly in size, shape, color, scent and plant habit. The most popular herb is the sweet or common Basil. The large, bright green plants grow fast. In warm regions, they can grow up to 6 feet high and 4 feet wide. Their leaves may grow from 2 to 4 inches long. Anise Basil is an erect, tall plant with purple-green, saw-toothed leaves, which have a strong scent of licorice and are used to flavor fruit dishes, juices and teas, and to make beautiful wreaths. The prettiest kind is the Cinnamon Basil. It is a dense plant with shiny, dark green leaves and lavender-white flowers. It has a strong cinnamon flavor and is used to top pumpkin and sweet potato pies. Fine-leaf bush Basil is a refined version of the French variety called Finn Vert and is preferred for making pesto. Fine-leaf tall Basil can grow up to 3 feet high. Lemon Basil has thin, downy foliage that has a lemony taste and aroma, but the stalks of white flowers shoot up early, leaving little to harvest. Lettuce-leaved Basil tastes like sweet Basil. Its leaves grow up to 7 inches long and sometimes have a waffled texture; they are nice for lining salad cups. Purple basil plants appear randomly in common Basil, but the ornamental variety Dark Opal has won many awards for its purple foliage, which is uniform in fertile soil. The leaves add color and a peppery Basil taste to oils and vinegars. O. canum, Holy Basil, Hoary Basil, or Tulsi, is so different from sweet Basil in appearance and aroma that you have to look closely at the flowers to see the connection. This plant is said to be used in Hindu religious ceremonies. It has a luscious, musky odor that penetrates the air and clings to hands and clothing when touched. The wide growing plants can reach a 2-foot height and an even larger width. Their arching branches are covered with fuzzy, gray-green leaves. In the summer, they produce many rough spikes of dull, bronzy lavender-white flowers that yield enormous amounts of seeds.

Pot Cultivation

These herbs need sun half the day or more. They should be planted in rich, well-drained, moist soil. They should be spaced 10 to 12 inches apart. Cut the leaves for fresh use as the flower buds show. The plants will regrow quickly. Cut off the flower heads before they produce seeds. Freezing works better than drying, which will cause the leaves to turn black unless you heat them to speed up the process. Holy Basil is taken care of the same way as sweet Basil. To keep the plants from spreading, cut off the flower spikes before seeds set. The leaves may be used fresh in chicken recipes, but sparingly.

Propagation

Seeds may be sown inside at a 70- to 75-degree temperature, 6 to 8 weeks before it's safe to plant them outside. They should be sown in light sandy soil. The seeds may be sown directly outdoors when the soil is warm. Make sure they have plenty of room.