Choosing basil: our buying guide

By foliage

Large-leaved basils

Some basil varieties offer particularly large leaves, with which we can, for example, prepare lovely salads :

• basil ‘Grand vert’, one of the most classic varieties, with large smooth, glossy leaves, blistered in shape
• basil ‘Genovese’ offering large broad leaves, crinkled and very glossy
• basil ‘Feuille de laitue’ bearing very large leaves, slightly ruffled, reaching 5 to 10 cm in diameter
• the highly productive giant basil ‘Monstrueux Mammouth’, undisputed champion, whose leaves can reach the size of a hand

Small-leaved basils

On the side of smaller foliage, but just as aromatic, note :

• basil ‘Fin vert’ and its small ovate, thin, smooth leaves, curved upwards
• basil ‘Balconstar’, whose rounded habit is made up of tiny leaves
• basil ‘Citron’ and its small pointed leaves
• basil ‘Grec’, offering small ovate leaves

Basils with coloured foliage

Foliage colours of basils range from light green with almost yellow tones (basil ‘Citron’) to deep purplish-red tending towards black (basil ‘Dark Opal’).

Among the most original decorative colours :

• the basil ‘Pourpre’, with large leaves of a deep purple
• basil ‘Violet’, with intensely coloured leaves
• basil ‘Purple Ruffles’, with large purplish blistered leaves that are very dentate
• basil ‘Osmin rouge’, with small purplish ovate leaves, slightly dentate
• basil ‘Crimson King’, another purple variety with large smooth blistered leaves
• basil ‘Aromatto’, with attractive variegated green and purple foliage

Basil ‘Grand vert’, basil ‘Fin vert’ and basil ‘Pourpre’.

Depending on its aroma and culinary use

Basil is used in many recipes: in salads with tomatoes, on pizzas and pasta, in marinades, to enhance fish dishes, in Mediterranean or Asian cuisine… It is an essential herb, whose flavours declinate according to the varieties.

The best basil varieties for pesto and pistou

Two varieties of basil with pronounced aromas are essential for these recipes: basil ‘Genovese’ and basil ‘Marseillais’.

Italian pesto, or pesto alla genovese, originates from Genoa. It is therefore traditionally made with the ‘Genovese’ variety with its intense aroma, combined with olive oil, parmesan or pecorino, garlic and pine nuts.

In Provençal cuisine, it is basil ‘Marseillais’, a traditional Provencal variety, that is used. Its leaves have a very strong scent, ideal for making pistou, whose recipe derived from Italian pesto does not systematically include cheese and pine nuts.

Basil ‘Grand Vert’, which gives off a scent combining anise, clove and nutmeg, is also very common in Mediterranean cuisine.

Basil varieties with exotic flavours

For new flavours in cooking, do not hesitate to turn to the many basil varieties with original and surprising aromas.

Most of these varieties are named after their characteristic flavour: basil ‘Citron’ (widely used to enhance fish dishes, in infusions, or even in cocktails), basil ‘Anis’, basil ‘Cannelle’ (with a strong spicy aroma, perfect in herbal teas or desserts), basil ‘Menthe’, basil ‘Réglisse’, basil ‘Thym’…

Purple basil, besides its colour which helps brighten dishes, is used for its piquant peppery aroma, which can recall ginger.

In Asian cuisine, it is the variety basil ‘Thaï’ or ‘Indonésien’ that is particularly prized for its lemony and spicy aroma, revealing notes of cinnamon, anise or tarragon. The basil ‘Citron vert’ is also very common there.

For its ornamental flowering

While some basil varieties offer very decorative coloured foliage, others have an equally attractive decorative flowering.

This is the case, for example, with basil ‘Tauris’, whose red stems are adorned with bluish flowers, the Thai basil ‘Queen of Thailand’ with beautiful purple flowers, as well as ‘Cinnamon’ and ‘Anise’ basils with violet flowers.

Basil ‘Purple’ offers pretty pale-pink flowers, in contrast with its purplish stems and foliage.

Variety ‘Dark Opale’, with dark almost black foliage, is adorned in summer with small mauve flowers.

Thai basil and Purple basil.

Depending on its silhouette

Most basil varieties reach between 30 and 50 cm in height. Some have a compact habit perfect for growing in pots. This is the case with variety ‘Fin Vert dwarf compact’ (50 cm in height at ripeness for 15 cm spread), which resembles a true small round bush.

Varieties ‘Purple’, ‘Anise’, ‘Lemon’, ‘Aristotle’, ‘Cinnamon’ or even Greek basil (30 cm in height and spread at ripeness) also form mini shrubs with a regular, dense habit, well suited to growing in pots or for small spaces.

Opt for perennial basil

Majority of basil varieties are annual plants, tender, that do not tolerate frost. However, there are a few rare perennial basil varieties, hardy down to -5°C :

• variety ‘Magic Mountain’ or Kenyan basil, is a perennial basil offering large green leaves with contrasting purple veins
• perennial ‘Russian’ perennial basil, whose more substantial habit reaches between 70 cm and 1 m in height; its leaves have a different fragrance to other basils, rather peppery, mentholated, even camphoraceous
• aniseed perennial basil , small shrub (90 cm high by 40 cm spread), whose leaves give off, as name suggests, an aniseed scent

Still fragile, these basils should only be grown in open ground in warm Mediterranean or oceanic regions. Elsewhere, they should be grown in pots and brought indoors for winter.

Perennial basil ‘Magic Mountain’