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Ocimum
Also called Basils
Ocimum is a genus of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the mint family, best known for culinary basil (O. basilicum) and holy basil or tulsi (O. tenuiflorum). Most grown basils are sun-loving annuals that need warmth, regular watering and frequent harvesting.
Ocimum is a genus of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to the tropical and warm temperate regions of all 6 inhabited continents, with the greatest number of species in Africa. Its best known species are the cooking herb basil, O. basilicum, and the medicinal herb tulsi (holy basil), O. tenuiflorum.
Most culinary and ornamental basils are cultivars of Ocimum basilicum and there are many hybrids between species. Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora) is a common ingredient in Thai cuisine, with a strong flavour similar to aniseed, used to flavour Thai curries and stir-fries. Lemon basil (Ocimum × citriodorum) is a hybrid between O. americanum and O. basilicum. It is noted for its lemon flavour and used in cooking.
Holy basil or tulsi (O. tenuiflorum) is a sacred herb revered as dear to Vishnu in some sects of Vaishnavism. Tulsi is used in teas, healing remedies, and cosmetics in India, and it is also used in Thai cooking. Amazonian basil (O. campechianum) is a South American species often utilized in ayahuasca rituals for its smell which is said to help avoid bad visions. O. centraliafricanum is valued as an indicator species for the presence of copper deposits.
Ocimum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus.
Lemon basil · American basil · Ocimum basilicum var. minimum · Basil · Least basil · African basil · Hoary basil · Holy basil
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Ocimum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
