Sacred Basil - Thai Lemon Basil (Ocimum Lour. x africanum) Aromatic Hoary Lemon Lao Basil Tea Herb
Sacred Basil - Thai Lemon Basil (Ocimum Lour. x africanum) Aromatic Hoary Lemon Lao Basil Tea Herb
Annual
Height 12 to 15 in
Wonderfully scented! Lemon basil, also known as hoary basil, Thai lemon basil, or Lao basil, is an open pollinated hybrid between basil and American basil - not to be confused with Tulsi Holy Basil ((Ocicum sanctum syn. tenuiflorum). We have included this in our collection because it has become increasingly popular as an aromatic lemon scent and is great when used in cooking Thai dishes.
Lemon Basil is cultivated for the young leaves, and is eaten raw as a vegetable side-dish in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The fragrant leaves are also added to various dishes with a fishy or unpalatable smell.
In traditional medicine, hoary basil is used for several ailments. Lemon basil has moderate levels of beta-carotene and high levels of vitamin K, which are renowned for their anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin K in Lemon Basil is essential for the production of clotting factors in the blood and plays a vital role in the bone strengthening and mineralization.
- Full sun to part shade
- Light well draining soil
- Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to last frost; transplant outdoors after all risk of frost has passed and seedlings have true leaves
- Plant outdoors in a sheltered spot
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Begin taking small harvests when the plant has 6 to 8 pairs of leaves.
- Harvest early and pinch off flower buds to encourage growth.
- Succession plantings are necessary to encourage fresh basil all season
- Bloom time: late summer to early fall
- Seed Count: 30