17 Types of Basil to Grow in Your Herb Garden

Delicious Varieties for Cooking With Different Flavors

Reviewed by Kathleen Miller

Fresh basil is fragrant, spicy, and a traditional herb in summer cuisine. And while you may only know one of a few types of basils from what you can get at the grocery store, there are up to 150 basil varieties, most deriving from Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). It can grow from 10 to 24 inches tall, depending on the variety.

This annual herb from the mint family likes plenty of sun, though it will tolerate a bit of shade, and does best in well-drained, rich, loamy soil. It's native to Asia and Africa and is perennial in warm zones USDA 9 to 11, but is primarily grown as an annual. It can be planted outdoors in spring after the last frost.

Text Link:How to Grow Basil

When flowers appear on your basil plants, gently pinch them off to allow the leaves to continue producing and reach full size. You can add the edible flowers to a salad.

Genovese Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Genovese')

Genovese or Italian basil is perhaps the most widely used and widely-grown basil for culinary purposes. Its large, shiny, rounded leaves are familiar to many cooks and gardeners, and it's considered the best herb for making pesto and serving raw in salads. It has a complex spicy flavor with aromatic notes of mint and clove. Easily grown from seed, Genovese basil does well in containers.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Sweet basil is very similar to Genovese basil, and the names are often used interchangeably, though they are, in fact, two different plants. The color of the leaves is often somewhat lighter than Genovese basil, and the shape of the leaves is less rounded and more pointed. Its flavor is slightly sweeter and milder than Genovese, and it is sometimes thought to have a slight hint of anise or licorice flavor.

• Native Area: Central Asia, Southeast Africa

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

Osmin Purple Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Osmin purple')

There are a number of purple basils. Osmin purple basil is one of the most common varieties and is a striking shade of deep purple with blue-black tones; most agree it is the darkest of the purple basils. With a spicy, clove-like flavor, it is best used fresh in salads or for garnish. The deep purple flowers can also be snipped and used in a salad.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

Cinnamon Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cinnamon')

Cinnamon basil, also known as Mexican spice basil, has a mild spicy flavor with notes of cinnamon and is popular in Asian cuisine. Its bright green leaves have subtle purple veining, and the purple stems bear light purple or pink flowers. The fresh leaves are delicious in a summer fruit salad or garnish with a cheese and fruit plate.

• Native Area: India, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

Lemon Basil (Ocimum basilicum citriodorum)

Lemon basil is also called Thai lemon basil (or amenglak) or hoary basil. It's a hybrid that is popularly used in South Asian cooking. The leaves are firmly textured and hold up well to high cooking temperatures. It has a delightful lemony fragrance and light lemon flavor to go with its spicy basil flavor.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

Thai Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora)

Thai sweet basil is a popular herb in South Asian cooking, particularly in Thai cuisine. Its beautiful plants are also a show-stopper in the herb garden, with deep purple stems and flowers. The leaves are somewhat thicker in texture than sweet basil, and the flavor is mild and complex. Thai sweet basil's flavor holds up well in cooking at high temperatures.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

Greek Basil (Ocimum basilicum var minimum 'Greek')

Greek basil is one of the smallest basil plants, usually no taller than eight inches. The compact plants produce light green, slightly pointed leaves that grow in small rounded clumps. It grows easily in containers and makes a nice addition to the herb garden or front of the border. The tiny leaves make it perfect for a decorative garnish or as part of a salad or other fresh summer dish.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 6 to 8 inches

Dark Opal Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal')

Dark Opal basil is an aromatic, spicy basil that can be used like any other basil, but its stunning color makes it a very showy plant for your herb garden as a cut flower and, of course, at the dinner table in a salad. It is somewhat smaller than other basils, seldom growing more than 20 inches

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 20 inches

Christmas Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Christmas')

Christmas basil is a hybrid cross between Thai and Genovese basil. It has dark purple stems and lighter purple flowers similar to Thai basil, though the leaves are the bright shiny green of Genovese. It has an herby, complex scent that many find reminiscent of winter holiday smells, like pine needles and the fruity spice fragrance of mulled wine. Its savory flavor works great in cooking sauces, soups, and meat dishes.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 18 inches

Cardinal Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Cardinal')

Cardinal basil is a cultivar that was developed in Israel. The showy flowers on these large plants are a dramatic addition to the outdoor herb garden. It is strongly scented and often used for flavoring oils and herb vinegar.

• Native Area: Israel

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 24 to 30 inches

Globe Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Pistou')

This plant is also known as pistou basil, spicy bush basil, or boxwood basil. It is a dwarf sweet basil believed to descend from sweet basil varieties in India and Asia. The tiny leaves grow in small branching clumps, forming a small round globe shape. It is perfect for snipping for bits of garnish or to use raw in salads or other dishes.

• Native Area: India, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 6 to 10 inches
  

Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Also known as tulsi, holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum ) is similar to other basils but has different flavors and qualities. The pale purple stems and small purple flowers somewhat resemble Thai basil, but the leaves are wavy and slightly wrinkled. It is loved for its spicy taste in Indian cooking and is also revered as a medicinal herb in Indian traditional medicine. It is a common herbal tea available in most grocery or health food stores.

• Native Area: India, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 12 to 24 inches

African Blue Basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum × basilicum ‘Dark Opal’)

This colorful plant is said to be a hybrid of dark opal basil and camphor basil. It can be grown as a perennial in warm regions and reaches up to 4 feet tall. Its camphor basil origins give it a slight camphor fragrance, along with notes of clove and mint. Its taste is peppery, minty, and complex. The flowers of the African blue basil are a delicate pale blue or purple color and beautiful to pollinators, especially honeybees, so letting some of this go to flower is a good idea if you want to attract beneficial pollinators to your garden. It is flavorful for salads or hot dishes and a beautiful fragrant addition to cut flower arrangements.

• Native Area: Africa, Asia

• USDA Zones: 8 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 24 to 48 inches

French Basil (Ociumum basilicum 'Marseilles')

French basil is also known as Marseilles basil. It is an heirloom globe basil, and its compact plant has slightly larger leaves than other globe basils. It has a robust and delicious fragrance. In French cuisine, it is used to make pistou, which is a sauce similar to Italian pesto.

• Native Area: India, Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 8 to 10 inches

Napoletano Basil (Ociumum basiclium 'Neopolitan')

This basil is native to Naples, Italy, and is widely grown and used in Europe. It has large, ruffly, dark green leaves with a strong flavor and is considered one of the best basils for making Caprese salad. This variety is slow to bolt, giving it a slightly longer growing season than other basils. It is also sometimes known as large-leaf basil or lettuce-leaf basil; the plant remains relatively small despite having very large leaves.

• Native Area: Italy

• USDA Zones: 8 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

• Height: 10 to 12 inches

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Lime Basil (Ocimum americanum)

Closely related to lemon basil, lime basil herb has a zesty flavor and a sweet, citrusy aroma. Its leaves are a little smaller than Genovese basil and narrower, flat, and tapering to a point with jagged edges. It is grown the same way as other types of basil—it can grow outdoors in warm weather and indoors on a sunny windowsill. It's an easy plant to grow in containers.

• Native Area: Africa, India, China, Southeast Asia

• USDA Zones: 9 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun

• Height: 15 to 36 inches

Green Ruffles Basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Green Ruffles')

You would have difficulty recognizing this as basil; it looks much more like curly lettuce but has serrated, ruffled edges. It has a lighter sweet basil taste with cinnamon, citrus, and licorice hints. Ted Torrey, an herb breeder from Burpee in the U.S., developed green ruffles basil. He also made purple ruffles basil from crossing green ruffles with dark opal basil.

• Native Area: United States

• USDA Zones: 10 to 11

• Sun Exposure: Full sun

• Height: 18 to 24 inches

Tips for Growing Basil

• Basil loves the sun, but if you notice wilting during days of harsh sun, give shade or water more thoroughly. It likes regular water.

• Basil germinates 7 to 10 days after planting and is usually ready for harvest within 3 to 4 weeks.

• It can grow indoors or outdoors; it only needs six to eight hours of steady sunlight to grow well.

• Prune monthly (1/3 of the leaves) to encourage bushier, healthier growth.

• Avoid bolting or the plant producing flowers and seeds by reducing its exposure to intense heat; pinch off the flowering stems 1 inch below the bud to prevent them from tasting bitter.

• Do not fertilize; too many nutrients can make the basil lose its signature taste.