Genovese basil

Sun

Full sun, ideally 6-8 hours daily; light afternoon shade helps in very hot climates.

Water

Keep evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water when the soil surface begins to dry; pots may need daily watering in hot weather.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost; use free-draining potting mix in containers.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Foliage

Bright green, broad oval leaves with slightly puckered surfaces and a strong sweet, spicy scent.

Growth

Fast in warm weather.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

Australia

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant outside only after frost danger has passed and nights reliably stay above 10°C (50°F).
• Space plants 12-18 in (30-45 cm) apart so air can move between them.
• Water the soil rather than the leaves, preferably in the morning.
• Mix compost into beds before planting; feed container plants with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength every 2-4 weeks.
• Apply a light organic mulch once the soil is warm, keeping it clear of the stems.

Pruning. Once plants have several pairs of true leaves, pinch each growing tip just above a pair of leaves to encourage branching. Repeat through summer and remove flower buds promptly to keep plants producing leafy shoots.

Start picking once plants are about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) tall and have several pairs of healthy leaves. Snip leafy shoot tips just above a pair of leaves, taking no more than about one-third of the plant at once; harvest before flowering for the best leaf quality.

Early spring

Sow indoors about 4-6 weeks before your expected last frost, providing warmth and strong light.

Late spring

Gradually acclimatise seedlings to outdoor conditions, then plant out when nights reliably exceed 10°C (50°F).

Early summer

Pinch growing tips to encourage bushy plants and begin light harvesting.

Summer

Water consistently, feed pots and remove flower buds; sow another batch if you want younger plants later.

Late summer

Check leaf undersides for downy mildew and harvest regularly while growth remains vigorous.

Autumn

Harvest remaining healthy leaves before cold nights or frost; freeze leaves or pesto for later use.

• Plant in kitchen-door containers for convenient harvesting and scented foliage.
• Use repeated groups along potager paths for a low, leafy summer edging.
• Grow beside tomatoes and peppers in edible beds, allowing enough space for airflow.
• Combine with parsley and chives in herb planters for contrasting leaf shapes.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Herb parterre, Edible landscape, Mediterranean, Sensory garden and Small-space.

Plant it with: Tomato, Sweet pepper, Parsley, Chives and French marigold.

Wildlife: If allowed to flower, its small blossoms provide nectar for bees and other pollinating insects; leave a separate plant to bloom if you want to keep harvesting the others.

• Basil downy mildew causes yellowing leaves with grey-purple growth underneath: remove affected plants, improve spacing and avoid wetting foliage.
• Slugs and snails eat seedlings and chew leaves: inspect after dark, remove hiding places and use wildlife-conscious slug control where needed.
• Aphids cluster on tender tips: wash them off with water or use an insecticidal soap labelled for edible herbs.
• Cold, wet conditions cause blackened leaves and root decline: delay planting until weather is warm and use freely draining soil or containers.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Leaves and flowers are edible, although eating large amounts may cause digestive upset in pets. Concentrated basil essential oil is not equivalent to the fresh herb and should not be given to pets.

• Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum (Thai basil types))

  Usually has narrower leaves, purple stems and a more pronounced anise or liquorice scent; Genovese has broader, puckered leaves and usually green stems.

• Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

  Usually has smaller, more toothed, often hairy leaves with a clove-like scent; Genovese leaves are broader and much less hairy.

‘Genovese’ means ‘of Genoa’, referring to the Italian city closely associated with this basil and pesto.

Propagation. Sow seed shallowly indoors at about 20-25°C (68-77°F), or directly outside once the soil is warm and frost has passed. Non-flowering shoot cuttings root readily in water or moist potting mix; seedlings from saved seed may vary if other basils flower nearby.

Accepted botanical name

Ocimum basilicum

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii, the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, India, Jawa and Laos.

Measured

Soil pH 6.5 to 7. Average height 36 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.