Basil, Italian

About Basil, Italian

The kind of basil many are familiar with in pesto, salads, dressings, and on pizza. Often called “sweet” because it’s without the minty and peppery taste of some other basil types, and many are known as “Genovese” because they were traditionally grown near the Italian city of Genoa. Leaves are tender, best used raw or minimally cooked to preserve the flavor. Remove flowers for best-tasting leaves, or keep them to feed the bees and butterflies. These non-hardy perennials are native to sunny, warm Mediterranean climates and will not withstand frost.