LeafbaseThe modern encyclopedia for plants and trees
Sweet Basil
Plant of the day

Ocimum basilicum

Sweet BasilPlant

Basil, also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also known as Genovese basil or sweet basil. Basil is native to tropical regions from Central Africa to Southeast Asia. In temperate climates basil is treated as an annual plant, but it can be grown as a short-lived perennial or biennial in warmer horticultural zones with tropical or Mediterranean climates.

FamilyLamiaceae
GenusOcimum
Native
LifespanAnnual; persists as short-lived perennial in frost-free tropical climates

Uses of Ocimum basilicum

Sweet Basil is represented through practical, cultural, ecological, and wellness use cases from the plant dataset.

Uses data not available

Structured uses have not been added for Sweet Basil. Once `useCards` is present in the plant JSON, this section will render those entries.

Toxicity Information

Toxicity data is not fully verified for this plant. Avoid consuming plant parts unless a trusted source confirms safe use.