Basil
Ocimum basilicum
The fragrant, warmth-loving culinary herb at the heart of Italian and Southeast Asian cooking, grown for its aromatic leaves used fresh in pesto, salads, and sauces.
- Light
- Full sun; 6+ hours
- Water
- Regular; keep evenly moist
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Basil is a tender annual herb in the mint family, native to tropical Asia and Africa and cultivated for millennia for its highly aromatic leaves. Sweet or Genovese basil is the most familiar type, central to Mediterranean cuisine, while many other varieties offer scents of lemon, cinnamon, anise, and clove.
Fast-growing and heat-loving, basil is among the most popular herbs for home gardens and windowsills. Regular harvesting keeps plants bushy and productive, and pinching off flower buds prolongs leaf production.
How to identify it
A bushy, soft-stemmed annual herb with a strong, sweet aroma.
- Leaves: smooth, oval, bright green (some purple), in opposite pairs, often slightly cupped and glossy
- Aroma: intensely fragrant when brushed or crushed, varying by type
- Stems: square in cross-section, typical of the mint family
- Flowers: small white or purplish blooms in spikes at the stem tips
- Height: 30-60 cm depending on variety, in a rounded bushy form
Care & growing
- Light: full sun, at least 6 hours daily; a bright windowsill indoors
- Water: keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged; water at the base
- Soil: rich, well-drained soil with organic matter
- Temperature: warmth-loving and frost-tender; protect from cold below about 10C
- Feeding: light, regular feeding supports leafy growth
- Propagation: easy from seed or stem cuttings rooted in water; pinch tips often and remove flower buds to keep leaves coming
Habitat & origin
Ocimum basilicum is native to tropical regions of central Africa and Southeast Asia, where it grows in warm, sunny conditions.
It has been cultivated and traded for thousands of years and is now grown worldwide, both commercially and in home gardens. As a frost-tender plant it is grown outdoors in summer or year-round on sunny windowsills and in greenhouses.
Uses & benefits
A premier culinary herb with some traditional and ornamental uses.
- Culinary: essential to pesto, tomato dishes, salads, and Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisine; best used fresh
- Aromatic: leaves are highly fragrant; some types are grown for scent
- Companion planting: often grown near tomatoes in the vegetable garden
- Pollinators: if allowed to flower, it attracts bees
- Traditional: various cultures use basil in folk medicine and ritual
Frequently asked questions
Why should I pinch off basil flowers?
Once basil flowers it diverts energy to seed and the leaves can turn bitter; pinching buds keeps the plant leafy and flavorful.
How do I harvest basil so it keeps growing?
Pinch stems just above a pair of leaves; this encourages branching and a bushier, more productive plant.
Can I grow basil indoors?
Yes, on a warm, sunny windowsill with at least six hours of light; it dislikes cold drafts.
Why are my basil leaves turning yellow?
Common causes are overwatering, poor drainage, cold temperatures, or lack of nutrients; check that the soil drains well and is not soggy.
Basil guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Basil.
Basil identified by the community
Real specimens identified with Plant Identifier.
