Saturday, March 23, 2013

Basil Varieties!

There are dozens of types of basil. All true basil varieties are considered to be those that are a part of the Ocimum genus. Ocimum Basilicum, or sweet basil, is the most well known species of the basil plant. There are numerous cultural varieties of basil, such as purple basil and cinnamon basil, which are appreciated for their unique colors, smell and taste. There are also a number of different species that are highly regarded for their use in cooking, medicine and for their ties to religion as well. Two such species include Thai basil and holy basil. Other types of basil are excellent choices for decorative designs, either because of their beautiful flowers or ability to be used in topiaries or as hedging. Two such plants include purple bush basil and boxwood basil. You have plenty of choices when growing basil.

Varieties:

Sweet Basil: Used in tomato sauce, pesto and salads. This is your classic Italian Basil

Purple Ruffles Basil: Ruffled, large and frilly purple leaves. Beautiful and fragrant. Stronger flavor than Sweet Basil but milder flavor than Green Ruffles. Adds color and flavor to herb vinegar.

Thai Basil:  More tender and more intensely flavored than Sweet Basil. Thai basil seeds are highly aromatic with a licorice-basil aroma. Great in both Thai and Italian recipes. Wonderful container plant. Late flowering. 

Round Midnight Basil: This highly aromatic purple leaf basil, a hybrid, with shiny leaves and dense habit promises a summer of fragrant and tasty pleasure. A garden attention-getter, each plant is full and round, 10-12″ tall, 8-10″ across, with showy spikes of light purple blooms.

Lemon Basil:  Attractive, spreading silver-green plants. Lemony aroma and flavor for potpourris, tea, chicken, fish, vegetables and herb vinegar. Native to northwest India.

Greek Basil:  Native to southeast Asia, basil has been used in cooking and for fragrances for centuries. Brought to Europe in the Middle Ages, it thrived in the Mediterranean region, as well as by the Caspian and Black Seas. Tiny leaves on dome shaped, 8″ tall plants. Great with tomatoes, in salads or sauces. Especially interesting in the garden.

Spicy Saber Basil: A distinct spicy note perfect for Asian dishes. Remains bushy and productive late into the season. Bright green saber-like ornamental leaves.

Genovese Basil: Extremely tender, fragrant, extra-large, dark green leaves. An Italian strain, best for pesto. 

Cardinal Basil: Flaunts a unique scent, rich and heady with a touch of spice. Strong, deep burgundy stems hold the flowers above the smooth, bright green leaves, ensuring a vibrant show throughout the summer even as you continue harvesting fresh leaves. A beautiful standout in the herb patch and a flavorful addition to the ornamental bed.

Green Ruffles Basil: This variety has large, serrated and quilted leaves. Enhances the flavor of tomato dishes.

Boxwood Basil: Tight mounds of small leaves that resemble boxwood plants make a highly ornamental edging for the patio or for a container by the kitchen door. Bred in France for a highly flavorful pesto ingredient. A beautiful basil variety that makes a fine garden companion.

Summerlong Basil: Very compact, tight bushes, slow to bolt, densely covered with shiny, bright green leaves. Great for pots and ornamental edging in vegetable beds.

Lime Basil: A rare and hard to find seed variety. Lime basil is sweet and fragrant with a mild citrus taste. The lime scent of the bright green, lance-shaped leaves pair perfectly with lemon basil, for a full explosion of tangy fresh flavor. Excellent for flavoring sauces, dressings and desserts.

Here is a more complete list of basil varieties taken from Wikipedia.  

Ocimum basilicum cultivars
Common nameSpecies and cultivarsDescription
Sweet basilO. basilicumWith a strong clove scent when fresh.[6]
Lettuce leaf basilO. basilicum 'Lettuce Leaf'Has leaves so large they are sometimes used in salads.[7]
Mammoth basilO. basilicum'Mammoth'Another large-leaf variety, stronger flavor than sweet Genovese.[8]
Genovese basilO. basilicum'Genovese Gigante'Almost as popular as sweet basil, with similar flavor.[8][9][10][11]
Nufar basilO. basilicum 'Nufar F1'Variety of Genovese resistant to fusarium wilt.
Spicy globe basilO. basilicum 'Spicy Globe'Grows in a bush form, very small leaves, strong flavor.[12]
Greek Yevani basilO. basilicum 'Greek Yevani'Organically grown version of Spicy globe basil.
Fino verde basilO. basilicum piccoloSmall, narrow leaves, sweeter, less pungent smell than larger leaved varieties.[13]
Boxwood basilO. basilicum'Boxwood'Grows tightly like boxwood, very small leaves, strong flavor, great for pestos.
Purple ruffles basilO. basilicum 'Purple Ruffles'Solid purple, rich and spicy and a little more anise-like than the flavor of Genovese Basil.
Magical MichaelO. basilicum 'Magical Michael'Award-winning hybrid with an uncommon degree of uniformity, and nice flavor for culinary use.[14]
Dark opal basilO. basilicum'Purpurascens'Award-winning variety, developed at the University of Connecticut in the 1950s.[15]
Red rubin basilO. basilicum 'Red Rubin'Strong magenta color, similar flavor to sweet basil, also called Opal basil.[8]
Osmin purple basilO. basilicum 'Osmin Purple'Dark shiny purple with a jagged edge on the leaves, smaller leaves than red rubin.[16]
Cuban basilO. basilicumSimilar to sweet basil, with smaller leaves and stronger flavor, grown from cuttings.[17]
Thai basilO. basilicum var. thyrsiflorumCalled Ho-ra-pa (ต้นโหระพา) in Thai, gets its scent of licorice from estragole.[5]
'Siam Queen'O. basilicum var. thyrsiflorum 'Siam Queen'[18]A named cultivar of Thai Basil
Cinnamon basilO. basilicum'Cinnamon'Also called Mexican spice basil, with a strong scent of cinnamate, the same chemical as in cinnamon. Has purple flowers.[5]
Licorice basilO. basilicum 'Licorice'Also known as Anise basil or Persian basil, silvery leaves, spicy licorice smell comes from the same chemical as inaniseanethole. Thai basil is also sometimes called Licorice basil.[19]
Mrs. Burns lemon basilO. basilicum var.citriodora 'Mrs. Burns'Clean, aromatic lemon scent, similar to lemon basil.[18]
Ocimum americanum (formerly known as O. canum) cultivars
Common nameSpecies and cultivarsDescription
Lemon basilO. americanum[18]Contains citral and limonene, therefore actually does smell very lemony, tastes sweeter. Originally, and sometimes still, called "hoary basil". Popular in Indonesia, where it is known as 'kemangi'. Also sometimes 'Indonesian basil'.
Lime basilO. americanumSimilar to lemon basil.[16]
Ocimum ×citriodorum cultivars
Common nameSpecies and cultivarsDescription
Greek column basilO. ×citriodorum'Lesbos'Columnar basil, can only be propagated from cuttings.[20]
Thai lemon basilO. ×citriodorumCalled mangluk (แมงลัก) in Thai. It has a citrus odor, with a distinct Lemon-balm-like flavor[5]
Other Species and Hybrids
Common nameSpecies and cultivarsDescription
Holy basilO. sanctum
(alt. O. tenuiflorum)
Also sacred basilTulsi (तुलसी) in Hindi, a perennial breed from India, used in Ayurveda, for worship, and in Thai cooking.[5]
Clove BasilO. gratissimum
Greek bush basil(Greek Spicy Globe Basil)O. minimum
(alt. O. basilicum var.minimum)
Forms a nearly perfectly round globe, with thin, tiny leaves and a delicious scent. Despite its name, the variety probably originated in Chile.[21]
Dwarf bush basilO. minimumUnusually small bush variety, similar to Greek bush basil.[6]
African Blue basilO. kilimandscharicum × basilicumA sterile perennial hybrid, with purple coloration on its leaves and containing a strong portion of actual camphor in its scent.[5]
Spice basilO. basilicum × americanumA fruity/musky-scented cultivar sometimes sold as Holy Basil
Sweet Dani basilO. basilicum × americanumA vigorous, large-leaved green basil with a strong, fresh lemon scent,[22] a 1998 All-American Selection.[23]


There are many varieties of basil to suit your needs.  This posting I wanted to give you a list of the many different types and their properties.  Next posting I will touch on what other things basil can be used for.  Hopefully this list can give you some insight into what type of basil you would like to grow and for what purpose.