Sweet Basil
Ocimum basilicum
![[ocimum_basilicum]](/sites/default/files/inbloom/large/ocimum_basilicum.jpg)
Sweet Basil, native to Europe, is an easily cultivated herb grown from seed sown during the spring. Its aromatic leaves are used fresh or dried as a culinary seasoning. Philadelphia nurseryman Bernard McMahon listed Basil on his 1810 broadsheet of seeds for sale. Thomas Jefferson's neighbor, George Divers of Farmington, noted that he was not able to supply Jefferson with the pot-herbs "Sweet Marjoram, sweet basil, or summer savory" in a letter written on 28 February, 1820.
Growth Type:
Annual
Color(s):
White
Hardiness Zones:
1 - 10
Location at Monticello:
Vegetable Garden
Planting Conditions:
Full Sun
Map it: 38.009520,-78.451699
Visit Monticello's Online Shop to check for seeds or plants of Sweet Basil.
Blooming Dates
2003: Aug 1 – Sep 262007: Aug 16 – Oct 52008: Jul 11 – Oct 172009: Oct 6 – Nov 32010: Sep 14 – Dec 12012: Aug 31 – Nov 7