Worth knowing:
Lemon Basil is with a growths height of 20 to 40 cm a small plant that develops dark-green and, compared to the common basil, rather slender leaves. From late summer until early autumn it shows neatly white flowers. Its intense lemon aroma made it an indispensable ingredient in many famous Asian dishes.
Natural Location:
The Lemon Basil orginally comes from North Africa and South Asia.
Cultivation:
Place:
The Lemon Basil likes to be kept in a sunny or at least half-shaded place. Since the plant is rather sensitive to frost, it should only be moved to a wind-protected spot outdoors from mid May.
Care:
Plant the Lemon Basil into quality earth for herbs and don’t keep the plant too moist. When the pot is kept outdoors during summer, you should check periodically for slugs. Cut the shoot tips regularly to get a nice bushy and branched plant. When the beautiful blossoms show up, you have to choose between the pleasant looks and the taste because the flowers bloom at the expense of the full aromatic flavour. Therefore, if you intend to use the Lemon Basil in the kitchen, you might want to prune back the flower shoots regularly.
During the winter:
Basil is usually cultivated as an annual plant. However, you may try to hibernate the plant in a bright and draught-free place with a temperature between 15° and 20° Celsius.
Picture credits:
- © © Renaudsechet - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Kembangraps - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © - -
- © - -
- © - -
- © - -
- © - -
