YOUR GARDEN — Plant Information

Basil: Deliciously beautiful

Throughout history herbs have been grown around the world for their taste, fragrance, and medicinal properties. Basil, one of the most popular herbs grown in the United States today, is no exception. It is a delicious and aromatic ingredient of Greek, Italian, and Thai cuisines offering natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Basil (Ocimum spp. and cvs.) is also an ornamental annual that can be used to enhance home landscapes, even those without an herb or kitchen garden. A long list of basil varieties offers plants with different heights, habits, leaf sizes, and colors. Gardeners can choose between green or purple leaves, fine-textured or ruffled leaves, and tall or compact plants with larger or smaller leaves.

PHOTO: The Garden's summer basil bed. A warm-season herb, basil should be planted in full sun after the last frost of spring and harvested for the final time before the first fall frost. A native plant in arid climates, basil can develop problems in high humidity, so it’s best to grow it in well-drained soil, avoid overwatering, and promote good air circulation by allowing 12 to 18 inches between plants. Basil is ideal for growing in containers, which helps to prevent overwatering problems, and makes it easier to remove any Japanese beetles that can damage leaves but will rarely kill plants.

Basil grown only for its ornamental qualities will produce lovely flowers that encourage bees, lady beetles, and other beneficial insects to visit your garden.

Basil grown for culinary use should have flowers buds removed before they bloom and older leaves pinched regularly to encourage tender new ones to grow.

The best way to harvest basil is to cut back the center stalk regularly to two sets of leaves once plants become 8 inches tall. Plants will quickly recover and produce new leaves.

PHOTO: Basil 'Magical Michael' For maximum flavor and nutrition (basil is a very good source of vitamins A and C), the best time to harvest basil is immediately before using it. Stems can also be temporarily stored somewhere cool in a water-filled vase.

Basil loses much of its flavor when dried but is easily prepped for the freezer. Mince just-picked leaves in a food processor and add just enough olive or canola oil to form a thick paste. Freeze the mixture in an ice cube tray and store the frozen cubes in an airtight bag.

No matter where you grow it or how you use it, history-rich basil offers the world — and home gardeners — a delightfully ornamental plant with life-enhancing pleasures and benefits.

Denise Corkery is a horticultural writer at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Photography @2008-2009 Robin Carlson, Bill Biderbost, Chicago Botanic Garden