If I could plant only one herb it would be basil (Ocimum basilcum). This member of the mint family, originating in tropical areas of Africa and Asia, has become a culinary staple worldwide. It's easily grown both indoors and out, reaches a height of 1-2 feet, flowers white to reddish from June to
September, and has leaves ranging in shade from glossy green to purple.
I have the purple variety throughout my landscape. I use it as a groundcover. When people ask what it is--and they always ask--I explain the colorful addition to the flowerbeds is wild basil. Because it has a distinctive scent, it discourages wildlife (most of whom just hate heavily scented plants), so it's more than a pretty face in the garden. In order for leaves to fill in, I sometimes nip the flowers, which
Its well-known green-leafed cousin dots my window boxes. I like the lushness of the plants, which envelope the area in a fresh, earthy scent, and produce a plethora of leaves for spicing up culinary creations. In fact, basil has also been used to flavor the liqueur Chartreuse, and is widely used as a tea. Basil tea has been known to relieve intestinal disorders, treat headaches, and even coughs. Historically, basil was given to women during childbirth to reduce labor pains. Traditional folklore entailed using basil as a good luck charm. It was said those who tucked a sprig into a pocket would have an abundance of love and money!
I don't know about that, but I always feel lucky to have this versatile herb in my garden.
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