Sweet basil

Where does Sweet basil grow?

Found in: Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Central Asia, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial-Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, FSM, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Mediterranean, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Pacific, Peru, Pohnpei, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Rotuma, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, Sudan, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are between 100 and 150 Ocimum species. It has medicinal benefits including being antimicrobial. It possibly has anti-cancer properties.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is sold in local markets.

Growing Sweet basil

Cultivation: It is grown from seed. Seed should be sown 2-3 mm deep and covered with a light sand or soil. Seed germinate within 3-5 days. Seedlings are thinned out to 20 cm apart. Seedlings can be transplanted. If top shoots are picked off, a more bushy plant is produced and flowering is delayed.

Edible Uses: The seeds are soaked in water and eaten. They can be eaten alone or used to flavour bread and other foods. The leaves are used raw or boiled to flavour foods. They are used to flavour tomato sauce, vinegar, soups, salads, omelettes and pesto sauce. It yields an oil used in flavouring. It flavours sauces, pickles, meats and confectionary. The flowers are eaten fresh.

Nutrition Info

Sweet basil Photos

References

Achigan-Dako, E, et al (Eds), 2009, Catalogue of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. International Foundation for Science.

Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 3973

Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 404

Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 216

Bennett, B. C., 1990, Useful Plants of Amazonian Ecuador. US Agency for International Development. Fifth Progress Report. New York Botanical Gardens. p 39

Bernholt, H. et al, 2009, Plant species richness and diversity in urban and peri-urban gardens of Niamey, Niger. Agroforestry Systems 77:159-179

Bianchini, F., Corbetta, F., and Pistoia, M., 1975, Fruits of the Earth. Cassell. p 204

Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 733

Bremness, L., 1994, Herbs. Collins Eyewitness Handbooks. Harper Collins. p 260

Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 714

Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 3. Kew.

Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 1598

Burnie, G & Fenton-Smith, J., 1999, A Grower's Guide to Herbs. Murdoch Books. p 12

Burnie, G.(Ed.), 2003, Annuals and Bulbs. The Gardener's Handbooks. Fog City Press. p 201

Bussman, R. W., et al, 2016, A comparative ethnobotany of Khevsureti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Tusheti, Svaneti, and Racha-Lechkhumi, Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo), Caucasus. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2016) 12:4

Bussman, R. W. et al, 2017, Ethnobotany of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 16(1) pp 7-24

Cao, Y., et al, 2020, Ethnobotanical study on wild edible plants used by three trans-boundary ethnic groups in Jiangcheng County, Pu’er, Southwest China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2020) 16:66

Chao, Pi-Yu, et al, 2014, Antioxidant Activity in Extracts of 27 Indigenous Taiwanese Vegetables. Nutrients 2014, 6, 2115-2130

Cheifetz, A., (ed), 1999, 500 popular vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts for Australian Gardeners. Random House p 142

Cobley, L.S. (rev. Steele, W.M.) 2nd Ed., 1976, An Introduction to the Botany of Tropical Crops. Longmans. p 331

Cowie, I, 2006, A Survey of Flora and vegetation of the proposed Jaco-Tutuala-Lore National Park. Timor-Lests (East Timor) www.territorystories.nt/gov.au p 49

Creasy, R., 2000, The Edible Asian Garden. Periplus p 23

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 943

Dansi, A., et al, 2008, Traditional leafy vegetables and their use in the Benin Republic. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2008) 55:1239–1256

Dhyani, S.K., & Sharma, R.V., 1987, Exploration of Socio-economic plant resources of Vyasi Valley in Tehri Garwhal. J. Econ. Tax. Bot. Vol. 9 No. 2 pp 299-310

Ertug, F., 2004, Wild Edible Plants of the Bodrum Area. (Mugla, Turkey). Turk. J. Bot. 28 (2004): 161-174

Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement

Esperanca, M. J., 1988. Surviving in the wild. A glance at the wild plants and their uses. Vol. 1. p 77

Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 130

Foo, J.T.S.(ed), 1996, A Guide to Common Vegetables. Singapore Science Foundation. p 78

Franklin, J., Keppel, G., & Whistler, W., 2008, The vegetation and flora of Lakeba, Nayau and Aiwa Islands, Central Lau Group, Fiji. Micronesica 40(1/2): 169–225, 2008

French, B.R., 1986, Food Plants of Papua New Guinea, A Compendium. Asia Pacific Science Foundation p 369

French, B.R., 2010, Food Plants of Solomon Islands. A Compendium. Food Plants International Inc. p 352

Giraldi, M. & Hanazaki, N., 2014, Use of Cultivated and Harvested Edible Plants by Caiçaras—What Can Ethnobotany Add to Food Security Discussions? Human Ecology Review, Volume 20, Number 2, 2014

Gunes, S. et al, 2018, Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in Karaisali (Adana-Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 17(2), April 2018, pp 290-298

Hadfield, J., 2001, The A-Z of Vegetable Gardening in South Africa. Struik p 133

Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 444

Hemphill, I, 2002, Spice Notes. Macmillan. p 62

Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 213

http://www.botanic-gardens-ljubljana.com/en/plants

Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G., 1997, Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. Plant Protection Society of Western Australia. p 170

Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 650

Hutton, W., 1997, Tropical Herbs and Spices of Indonesia. Periplus. p 12

Kayabasi, N. P., et al, 2018, Wild edible plants and their traditional use in the human nutrition in Manyas (Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 17(2), April 2018, pp 299-306

Karhagomba, I. B., et al, 2013, The cultivation of wild food and medicinal plants for improving community livelihood: The case of the Buhozi site, DR Congo. Nutrition Research and Practice (Nutr Res Pract) 2013;7(6):510-518

Kenneally, K.E., Edinger, D. C., and Willing T., 1996, Broome and Beyond, Plants and People of the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley, Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management. p 112

Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 432, 1727,

Kuo, W. H. J., (Ed.) Taiwan's Ethnobotanical Database (1900-2000), http://tk.agron.ntu.edu.tw/ethnobot/DB1.htm

Kybal, J., 1980, Herbs and Spices, A Hamlyn Colour Guide, Hamlyn Sydney p 140

Latham, P., 2004, Useful Plants of Bas-Congo province. Salvation Army & DFID p 207

Lawton, B.P., 2002, Mints. A Family of Herbs and Ornamentals. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. p 71, 164 (Drawing)

Lazarides, M. & Hince, B., 1993, Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia, CSIRO. p 172

Li Hai-wen, Hedge, I.C., Lamiaceae. Flora of China. p 396

Liu, Yi-tao, & Long, Chun-Lin, 2002, Studies on Edible Flowers Consumed by Ethnic Groups in Yunnan. Acta Botanica Yunnanica. 24(1):41-56

Martin, F.W. & Ruberte, R.M., 1979, Edible Leaves of the Tropics. Antillian College Press, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. p 102, 196

Medhi, P. & Borthakur, S. K., 2012, Phytoresources from North Cachur Hills of Assam -3: Edible plants sold at Hflong market. Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources. 3(1) pp 84-109

Menninger, E.A., 1977, Edible Nuts of the World. Horticultural Books. Florida p 83

Mertz, O., Lykke, A. M., and Reenberg, A., 2001, Importance and Seasonality of Vegetable Consumption and Marketing in Burkina Faso. Economic Botany, 55(2):276-289

Miguel, E., et al, 1989, A checklist of the cultivated plants of Cuba. Kulturpflanze 37. 1989, 211-357

Monsalud, M.R., Tongacan, A.L., Lopez, F.R., & Lagrimas, M.Q., 1966, Edible Wild Plants in Philippine Forests. Philippine Journal of Science. p 483

Mulherin, J., 1994, Spices and natural flavourings. Tiger Books, London. p 98

Murakami, A. et al, 2014, Screening for the In Vitro Anti-tumor-promoting Activities of Edible Plants from Malaysia. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 64:1, 9-16.

Norrington, L., & Campbell, C., 2001, Tropical Food Gardens. Bloomings Books. p 58

Özdemir, E. and Kültür, S., 2017, Wild Edible Plants of Savaştepe District (Balıkesir, Turkey), Marmara Pharm J 21/3: 578-589

Paczkowska, G. & Chapman, A.R., 2000, The Western Australian Flora. A Descriptive Catalogue. Western Australian Herbarium. p 275

Peekel, P.G., 1984, (Translation E.E.Henty), Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for Naturalists, Division of Botany, Lae, PNG. p 490, 493

Phon, P., 2000, Plants used in Cambodia. © Pauline Dy Phon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. p 476

Pieroni, A., et al, 2012, "We are Italians!": The Hybrid Ethnobotany of a Venetian Diaspora in Eastern Romania. Human Ecology 40:435-451

Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/

Plants of Haiti Smithsonian Institute http://botany.si.edu/antilles/West Indies

Purseglove, J.W., 1968, Tropical Crops Dicotyledons, Longmans. p 636

Raghavan, S., 2007, Handbook of Spices, Seasonings, and Flavourings. Second Edition. CRC Press p 70

Rajendra, K.C., 2014. Prominent Non-Wood Forest Products of Te- rai and Siwalik Regions in Nepal. Food and Agriculture Organization, Kathmandu, Nepal. p 35

Rashid, H. E., 1977, Geography of Bangladesh. Westview. p 280

Rigat, M et al, 2009, Ethnobotany of Food Plants in the High River Ter Valley (Pyrenees, catalonia, Iberian Peninsula): Non-Crop Food Vascular Plants and Crop Food Plants with medicinal Properties. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 48:303-327

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 19th April 2011]

SAXENA,

Segnon, A. C. & Achigan-Dako, E. G., 2014, Comparative analysis of diversity and utilization of edible plants in arid and semi-arid areas in Benin. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2014, 10:80

SHANKARNARAYAN & SAXENA,

Sharma, P., et al, 2013, Wild edibles of Murari Devi and surrounding areas in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation. Vol. 5(9), pp. 580-592, September 2013

Smith, F. I. and Eyzaquirre, P., 2007, African leafy vegetables: Their role in the World Health Organization's global Fruit and Vegetables Initiative. AJFAND, Vol. 7 No. 3

Solomon, C., 2001, Encyclopedia of Asian Food. New Holland. p 24

Smith, A.C., 1991, Flora Vitiensis Nova, Lawaii, Kuai, Hawaii, Volume 5 p 229

Sp. pl. 2:597. 1753

Staples, G.W. and Herbst, D.R., 2005, A tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. p 359

Thaman, R. R., 1987, Plants of Kiribati: A listing and analysis of vernacular names. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 296

Terra, G.J.A., 1973, Tropical Vegetables. Communication 54e Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, p 64

Thaman, R. R, 2016, The flora of Tuvalu. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 611. Smithsonian Institute p 95

Tindall, H.D., 1983, Vegetables in the Tropics, Macmillan p 247

Tronickova, E. & Krejcova, Z., 1987, Ortaggi, Instituto Geografico de Agostini, Cecoslovacchia. p 208

Tyagi, R. K., et al, 2004, Conservation of Spices Germplasm in India. Indian J. Plant Genet. Resour. 17(3): 163-174

van Wyk, B., 2005, Food Plants of the World. An illustrated guide. Timber press. p 265

Walter, A. & Lebot, V., 2007, Gardens of Oceania. ACIAR Monograph No. 122. p 279

Wheeler, J.R.(ed.), 1992, Flora of the Kimberley Region. CALM, Western Australian Herbarium, p 805

Wijayakusuma, H.M.H., et al, 1996, Tanaman Berkhasiat Obat Di Indonesia. Pustaka Kartini. p 120

Woodward, P., 2000, Asian Herbs and Vegetables. Hyland House. p 103

World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Yuncker, T.G., 1959, Plants of Tonga, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Hawaii, Bulletin 220. p 236