Sweet Basil, Common Basil, Thai Basil, Tropical Basil
Ocimum basilicum

Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Purple, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Rounded.

Ocimum basilicum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. It is in flower from August to September, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.5

Where it is found

Long cultivated, its original habitat is obscure.

Tropical Asia?

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Leaves and flowers - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring or as a spinach, they are used especially with tomato dishes, pasta sauces, beans, peppers and aubergines. The leaves are normally used fresh but can also be dried for winter use. A very pleasant addition to salads, the leaves have a delightful scent of cloves. Use the leaves sparingly in cooking because the heat concentrates the flavour. A refreshing tea is made from the leaves. The seed can be eaten on its own or added to bread dough as a flavouring. When soaked in water it becomes mucilaginous and can be made into a refreshing beverage called 'sherbet tokhum' in the Mediterranean. An essential oil obtained from the plant is used as a food flavouring in mustards, sauces, vinegars etc

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

Medicine

Rating: 3

Sweet basil has been used for thousands of years as a culinary and medicinal herb. It acts principally on the digestive and nervous systems, easing flatulence, stomach cramps, colic and indigestion. The leaves and flowering tops are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, galactogogue, stomachic and tonic. They are taken internally in the treatment of feverish illnesses (especially colds and influenza), poor digestion, nausea, abdominal cramps, gastro-enteritis, migraine, insomnia, depression and exhaustion. Externally, they are used to treat acne, loss of smell, insect stings, snake bites and skin infections. The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season and are used fresh or dried. The mucilaginous seed is given in infusion in the treatment of gonorrhoea, dysentery and chronic diarrhoea. It is said to remove film and opacity from the eyes. The root is used in the treatment of bowel complaints in children. Extracts from the plant are bactericidal and are also effective against internal parasites. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Clearing'. In Chinese medicine for kidney disease and gum ulcers . In Indian medicine foe earache, rheumatoid arthritis, anorexia, itching, menstrual disorders, and malaria .

Antibacterial: Kills bacteria.

Antidepressant: Used to alleviate mood disorders, such as major depression and dysthymia and anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder.

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.

Appetizer: Improves the appetite

Aromatherapy: Plants whose essential oils are used in Aromatherapy.

Aromatic: Having an agreeable odour and stimulant qualities.

Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.

Digestive: Aids digestion.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Galactogogue: Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.

Malaria: Treats malaria - an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites spread to people through the bites of mosquitos.

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Other

Rating: 2

An essential oil obtained from the whole plant is used as a food flavouring and in perfumery, dental applications etc. An average yield of 1.5% essential oil is obtained from the flowering tops. When applied to the skin it makes a good mosquito repellent. The growing or dried plant is an effective insect repellent. It is a good plant to grow in the home, where it repels flies, or in the greenhouse where it can keep all manner of insect pests away from nearby plants. It has been used in the past as a strewing herb.

Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.

Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.

Strewing: Plants, usually aromatic, that are strewn on the floor to give a nice smell, repel insects etc.

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Specimen. Prefers a rich light well-drained to dry soil. Requires a sunny sheltered position if grown outdoors. Tolerates a pH in the range 5 to 8. Sweet basil is commonly grown as an aromatic culinary and medicinal herb in warm temperate and tropical climates. There are a number of different constituents that make up the essential oil in basil, and the proportions of these vary considerably between plants growing in different regions of the world. From this variety many named varieties with differing flavour characteristics have been developed. Basil is a perennial plant in the tropics, but it is frost tender and needs to be grown as a half-hardy annual in temperate zones. It is a very good companion plant to grow in the house or greenhouse, its aromatic foliage helping to reduce problems caused by insect pests. It requires a good hot summer in Britain if it is to do well outdoors. Sweet basil is a good companion plant for tomatoes but it grows badly with rue and sage. When grown near raspberries it can retard their fruiting. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Suitable for dried flowers, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - sow mid to late spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination is usually free and quick, prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If growing basil outdoors, plant out after the last expected frosts.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 9-11

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Basil contains estragole a potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic essential oil. Do not take during pregnancy or give basil oil to small infants/children.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ocimum album, Ocimum anisatum, Ocimum barrelieri, Ocimum medium, Plectranthus barrelieri .