A culinary must, this herb’s shiny, cupped green foliage is prized for its strong aroma and taste in all Italian foods, fresh tomato salads and pesto. Genovese basil craves a sunny, warm garden spot and thrives in containers on a deck or a sunny kitchen windowsill. Continually pinching is very important to prevent blooming, which radically alters the taste of the plant and makes its flavor less desirable. Annual.

Sweet Thai Basil has been used for mainly in Thai or Asian cooking. Its Licorice, clove-like flavor perfectly compliments the hot spicy flavors of Thai cuisine. In Thailand this basil is known as Horapha and is one of 3 basils used in their cooking. Leaves are 2″ long and contrast beautifuly with the dark stems and purple flowers. Its flavor is more stable under hot or extended cooing temperatures then traditional sweet basil. Small in stature but large in flavor and it typically used in green and red curry, and used fresh as a condiment to Vietnamese pho soup. A great selection for containers and will yeild well when grown in moderatly rich, sunny, moist soils.  For best eating purposes and flavor, harvest ‘Sweet Thai’ and all Basil before flowering. It’s easy to pick throughout the growing season just by by pinching off young leaves on a regular basis. Many use the colorful leaves in floral arrangements.

Sweet Italian Large Leaf Basil is considered the best basil for true Neapolitan recipes, especially pesto. Its large green leaves are flavorful and sweet and mix well with other herbs to create a flavor fest in salads or more traditional Italian staples like pesto or spaghetti sauce.  You’ll find that ‘Sweet Italian’ also spices up veal, lamb, fish and poultry nicely, as well as adding zest to rice, cheese and most vegetables. Try mixing a few leaves with fresh from the garden tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil – Delish! Not only is this sweet basil tasty it can also repel garden pests such as aphids, mites and the tomato hornworm, so interplant with other garden vegetables to help keep your garden chemical free!  It’s easy to pick throughout the growing season just by  pinching off young leaves on a regular basis. This plant does not need pampering, in fact, dry, infertile soil will produce the most flavorful leaves!

Alluring color matches alluring taste on this Basil that will be a welcomed addition to your garden if only because of its deep, dark mahogony purple foliage that will be a visual oasis in a sea of predominantly green garden plants. ‘Red Rubin’ is nearly exact in flavor to ‘Genovese’ and can be used for all the same mouth watering Pesto uses even though ‘Red Rubin’ Pesto will be far darker because of the foliage color. In the garden, ‘Red Rubin’ tends to be a bit looser in form and rather than white bloom, striking violet-blue blooms top each branch. For best eating purposes and flavor, harvest before flowering and for best garden growth, plant ‘Red Rubin’ in full sun in the ground well after danger of late frost has passed or in a container where its great foliage color will mesh perfectly even with flowering plants!

You will prize the huge, dark green leaves that thickly cover this easy to grow Basil. ‘Mozzarella’ has a very similar taste and look as the bedtteer known ‘Genovese’ but it has been bred to out perform ‘Genovese’ in the greenhouse stage of its life where Basil always has a tendency to fall prey to growing problems. Bred for excellent growth and disease resistance in these condions as well as exceptional flavor and stature, this selection is a true survivor that will be ready to make your meals come alive with its zesty flavor. Plant ‘Mozerella’ in full sun with well drained soil conditions, whether in the ground or in a container, and you will be sure to have plenty Basil for pesto, pasta or any other dreamy culinary use you can think up!

Offering both beauty and function Wild Color Basil has a strong upright form that stands out in the mixed herb bed and its dark green and purple leaves are as tasty as they are ornamental. Each tall stem becomes loaded with blooms attracting pollinators to the garden. Cooking with Wild Colors is a as easy as pinching a few or a lot of the tasty leaves for adding delicious flavor to any culinary delight! A great selection for pesto or slice thinly for an added zing to caprese salad.

Greek Basil is a flavorful herb native to Southeast Asia. It has been used in cooking and for fragrances for centuries.Its compact dome shape offers a tidy form for a formal or containerized herb garden. Tiny leaves are full flavor and are a perfect combination with garden tomatoes and fresh or smoked Mozzerella cheese. Greek Basil can be used as regular Basil in salads, soups and even Italian dishes. Its small leaves and soft stems make it the perfect Basil for pesto. Harvest Greek Basil throughout the growing season by picking young leaves or lightly shearing the tips off the small dome to reduce the onset of flowers that can change the flavor of the Basil. This plant does not need pampering, in fact, dry, infertile soil will produce the most flavorful leaves.

Developed at Rutgers, this new line of basils are resistant to Downey Mildew, a common issue with Basils! Passion  has a large cupped leaf and is sweet, similar to ‘Genovese’. Very prolific and easy to grow.

Developed at Rutgers, this new line of basils show a strong resistant to Downey Mildew, a common pest with Basils! Obsession has a soft green leaf and is slightly sweet, similar to ‘Genovese’. Very prolific and easy to grow.

Treat your feline friends to a treat they can’t resist! Catnip is a dream to grow, easily forming a dense, bushy plant with dark green foliage. Its spikes of purple-spotted white flowers will catch your eye. Catnip makes pretty tasty tea for human consumption but you’ll have to fight your cat for it. Be sure to put it out of reach so it can survive continued feline visitations! Perennial.