Basil, whether you
pronounce it "bah-zil" or "bay-sil", Ocimun Basilicum is the most
well-known of all herbs. If only one plant made an herb garden, this
annual would be the choice. Whether you start this plant from seed on a
sunny windowsill in February or March or wait until luxurious-looking
plants are available at your favorite nursery, basil, in its several
varieties, is recognized world-wide as an herb par excellence.
Varieties are often named after their scent or physical characteristics.
Leaves of this herb range in colors from dark purple to pale green and may
be serrated or smooth, glossy or crinkly; flowers grow in whorls ranging
from white to purple. Most of the commonly available basils range in
growth from one to three feet tall and one to two feet wide. It is the
pungent clove-like fragrance that rises to greet you as you brush the
plant that makes it a favorite of many. The most common basil is sweet
basil (Ocimum basilicum).
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DID YOU KNOW?
-Basil is one of the
ingredients in the liqueur Chartreuse.
-Basil reputedly
brings luster to hair; the fragrance alone is invigorating.
-Add several large
basil leaves to the liquid when poaching fish, shellfish, or
chicken.
-Native to India,
Africa and Asia, basil is cultivated for commercial use in France.
-In Italy, basil is
still a sign of love.
-Basil is a member
of the mint family
-Extracts from basil
seeds exhibit an antibacterial effect. |
Basil’s name is said to derive from the Greek word for king - basileias
- and was once used to make royal unguents, perfumes, and medicines. A
native of India and Persia, the basil plant is sacred to both Krishna and
Vishnu and cherished by all. A house surrounded by this plant is
considered a blessed house. Every good Hindu goes to his rest with a
basil leaf on his breast as a passport to Paradise. In Persia
and Malaysia, basil is planted on graves and in Egypt women scatter the
flowers on grave-sites of loved ones. But, among the ancient Greeks,
basil represented hate and misfortune and thought the plant would not grow
without railing and abuse at the time of sowing.
 Basil’s
medicinal uses are various.
Recommended for digestive complaints, substitute that after-dinner mint
with an after-dinner cup of basil tea to aid digestion and expel gas.
Steep a teaspoon of the dried leaves in a cup of boiled water. Herbalists
recommend this for stomach
cramps, vomiting and
constipation. Basil is sometimes used to soothe mild nervous
disorders, and for the alleviation of wandering rheumatic pains.
 The leaves of O. Viride,
a native of Western Africa, is drunk as tea to remedy fevers. The leaves
of O. Canum and O. Gratissimum in India and of O. Crispum
in Japan are prescribed as a remedy for colds. A tradition in Moldavia
exists that a youth will love any maiden who offers him a sprig of basil.
In Crete, it symbolizes “love washed with tears” and in some parts of
Italy, it is a love-token. To encourage the "cheerful and merry heart",
indulge in a sleep pillow containing equal portions of the clove-like
basil, piney rosemary, and spicy marjoram.
Because it is an annual, basil must be replanted each year. Don’t try to get basil
into the garden too early in the spring. Be patient and wait until the
soil has warmed up thoroughly. It grows easily from seed but a wide
variety of started plants from a nursery are usually available for a head
start.
Set
seedlings about two feet apart to allow room for full growth and deep
watering. Mulching the bed will help conserve the moisture and protect
roots close to the surface from summer’s heat. Set it out in full sun,
although it will do well even in partial shade. This fast growing
nose-pleaser needs plenty of room to spread out. Basil thrives on heavy
watering, but make certain the soil drains well. Also, beware of too much
fertilizer as it will produce lush leaves at the sacrifice of flavor.
Very soon you will be able to begin pinching back the tips; this will
encourage bushier new growth.
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