Neat table. Be sure and check out the "C's"
BASIL VARIETIES TABLE
There are basically three types of basil - annual (A), tender perennial (TP) (treated as annuals or pot plants in the north) and (HP) hardy perennial (only one variety). All require full sun and rich soil. Most are used for culinary purposes, except where noted. All are susceptible to fusarium.
African Blue Ocimum 'African Blue' (TP) Large, attractive purplish-blue leaves on tall plant. Leaf veins, flower spikes and stems are purple. Sweet camphor scent. Possible hybrid between dark opal basil and one of the camphor basils. Does not grow from seed, but does reproduce readily from cuttings.
Anise (or licorice) O. b. 'Anise' (A) Strong anise fragrance. Light purple flowers.
Ararat O.b. 'Ararat' (A) Foliage splashed with purple markings. Sweet flavor with licorice overtones.
Ball O. 'Tufted' (A) Nice compact form with purple flowers.
Bush O.b. minimum (A) Dwarf form, small leaves. Good in pots.
Bush, Greek O.b. minimum (A) Improved variety of 'Bush' with tight compact growing habit. Good pot plant.
Camphor O. kilimandescharicum (TP) Strong camphor odor. White flowers. Not a culinary variety, but used medicinally and as a commercial source of camphor.
Cinnamon O.b. 'Cinnamomum' (A) Distinct cinnamon aroma. Sprigs placed in vases to ward off insects at the table (Mexico). Pink flowers.
Chocolate O.b. ‘Nestle' (HP) Brown flowers. Grows only in S. Alabama and subject to severe predation by Bigfoot and Loch Nestle.
Cuban O.b. 'Cuban' (TP) White flowers.
Dark Opal O.b. 'Dark Opal' (A) Dark purple leaves. Especially attractive made up as vinegar. Developed at the Univ. of Connecticutt in 1962.
Dwarf Bouquet O.b. 'D.B.' (A) White flowers.
Dwarf Fino Verde O.b. 'Fino Verde' (A)
Dwarf Italian Ocimum 'D.I' (A) White flowers.
East Indian O. gratissimum (TP) Large, greyish-green, velvety leaves with clove scent and spicy flavor. Used in India as a cold remedy.
Fino Verde O.b. 'Piccolo F.V.' (A) Fine leaved variety excellent for all basil uses. Makes great pesto.
Genova O. americanum 'Genoa profumatissima' (A) Also known as Perfume Basil.
Genovese O.b. 'Genovese' (A) Well known for making pesto. Two varieties are – Special Select FT (Richter's exclusive) and Compatto FT (Richter's exclusive), a compact form.
Green Globe O.b. minimum 'G. G.' (A) Excellent variety of the Italian globular form. Very dense 'heads' 20 to 28 inches across. Spicy flavor. Good in pots.
Green Ruffles O.b. 'G.R.' (A)
Holly's Painted O.b. 'H.P.' (A) Unusual variegated leaves. Pink flowers.
Holy Basil O. sanctum (A) Used in salads and cold dishes; not used in cooking. Name often applied incorrectly to Spice Basil. Holy basil has a unique 'Juicy Fruit'-type aroma. There are green (O. tenuiflorum) and purple (O.s. purpureum 'Tulsi') varieties.
Lemon O. americanum (A) Compact bush type. Good for tea and potpourri.
Lemon O.b. citriodora (A) White flowers. Seeds are made into a tonic drink.
Lemon, Mrs. Burns O.b. 'Mrs. Burns' (A) Larger and more robust than the type, up to 3 feet. White flowers.
Lemon, Sweet Dani O.b. 'S.D.' (A) Improved lemon variety, high in essential oil and citral content. White flowers.
Lesbos O.b. 'Lesbos' (A) Unusual combination of spice, floral and citrus aroma. Height to 40 inches. Also known as 'Aussie Sweetie'.
Lettuce Leaf O.b. crispum (A) Similar to, but better flavor and aroma than Mammoth. White flowers. Used as a cold remedy in Japan.
Lime O. americanum (A) Lime-scented. White flowers.
Mammoth O. basilicum (A) Excellent variety of sweet basil with very large leaves.
Mexican Spice O.b. 'M.S.' (A) Grown for fragrance and aroma and as an ornamental. Pink flowers.
Miniature O.b. 'Minimum' (TP) White flowers.
Napoletano O.b. 'N.' (A) White flowers.
Nufar F1 O.b. 'Nufar' (A) Fusarium resistant variety of Genovese type sweet basil.
Osmin Purple O.b. 'O.P.' (A) Darkest purple of the basils. Height to 20 inches.
Puerto Rican Ocimum 'P.R.' (A) White flowers.
Puerto Rican, Miniature O.b.'M.P.R.' (A) White flowers.
Purple O.b. 'Purpurascens' (A) Pink flowers.
Purple Bush O. 'Purple Bush' (A) Dwarf, compact growth with purple-green leaves. Good in pots and for hedging.
Purple Delight O.b. 'P.D.' (A) More robust in growth than 'Rubin'.
Purple Ruffles O.b. 'P.R.' (A) Dark purple leaves heavily ruffled and fringed. Pink flowers.
Rubin O.b. 'Rubin' (A) Improvement over 'Dark Opal' (very little green). Pink flowers.
Siam Queen Ocimum sp. 'S.Q.' (A) Variety of Thai Basil. Deep purple inflorescences above dark green leaves. An anise aroma and flavor.
Spice Basil O.a. 'S' (A) Possible hybrid between O. canum and O. basilicum. Lavender flowers.
Spicy Globe O.b. minimum 'S. G.' (A) Uniform, dense globular form with larger leaves than the type. White flowers. Excellent in pots for the windowsill garden.
Sweet Basil O. basilicum (A) Best known basil for culinary use. White flowers.
Sweet Fine O.a. 'S.F.' (A) White flowers.
Sweet Salad(TM) O.basilicum (A) Medium-size leaf. Leading commercial variety. Dries without turning black.
Sweet Thai O.b. 'S.T.' (A)
Thai O.b. thyrsiflora (A) Variety used in Vietnamese and Thai cooking. Lavender flowers.
Thai Magic O.b. 'T.M.' (A)
Thai Seed O. citriodora 'Thai' (A) White flowers.
Well-Sweep Purple Miniature O.b. 'Minimum Purpurascens Well-Sweep (A) Diminutive form of Purple Basil exclusive to Well-Sweep Herb Farm. Pink flowers.
