Basil - Sweet Ocimum basilicum

Common Name:
Sweet Basil

Description:
Sweet Basil is a classic, highly aromatic annual herb widely celebrated for its lush green foliage and essential role in culinary dishes. Its broad, glossy leaves deliver a rich, sweet flavour with subtle hints of clove, making it indispensable in Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. This fast-growing plant thrives in Melbourne’s warmer months, preferring full sun and well-drained, nutrient-rich soil with consistent moisture. Regular harvesting encourages bushy growth and delays flowering, ensuring a continuous supply of tender leaves from spring through to autumn. In summer, it may produce small white flower spikes that attract pollinators, though these are often pinched off to maintain leaf quality. Ideal for garden beds, kitchen gardens, and pots, Sweet Basil is both productive and easy to grow.

Form:
Shrub - Small
Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:
Height: 0.4–0.7 m
Width: 0.3–0.5 m

Aspect:
Full Sun

Flowering:
Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
White

Key Attributes:
Bee Attracting
Culinary herb
Edible Leaves
Fast Growing
Herbaceous
Suitable for Pots
Annual

Toxicity:
Generally considered non-toxic to humans and pets when consumed in typical culinary amounts.

Companion Plants:
Tomatoes
Capsicum
Chilli
Lettuce
Oregano