Basil tree

How to grow Basil tree growing and care:

How to grow:
Warm weather, rich soil, mulch on the soil especially in the winter, well-drained soil

How to care:
Add more water in hot summer days, fertilizer 2-4 year, put organic matter, prune once a year and consider to prune the bloom stems

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant, cutting (explanation of care bellow), this hybrid doesn’t produce seeds (be aware)

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
Necessary to start by cutting or air layering (but cutting easier) possible to graft but no point

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Not something special, sensitive to frost (Won’t survive more than 6C)

Recommended planting season?
Spring in hardiness zone 5-10 as annual, as perennial spring to summer in hardiness zone 10b, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11 and hardiness zone 12+ all year.

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, prodenia

Pruning season:
All the season

How to prune:
Prune dead part and in the beginning of the bloom cut the bloom stem

What is the size of a Basil tree?
25-35 cm, 10-14 inch

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half shade / Full shade (with light)

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
Yes, grow well indoor as houseplant

Growing is also possible in a pot / planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes, when grow in container, size 5-12 liter (1.5-3 gallon) amount of water that needed, it’s to keep the soil moist and the water go out of the pot, better not to use bottom of pot, need every two years to switch soil in the pot or just part of it, soil need to be well ventilated with good drainage, rich with organic matter, can us in potting mix or peat soil with perlite or vermiculite.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Summer

General information about the flower
Small white flower that grow on inflorescence

Thinning the bloom:
Should thinning the inflorescence when they start to bloom, all the strength of the plant go to the blossom

Pollination is done by:
Bees, butterfly

Edible leaves

Leaves harvesting season:
After the plant in full size you can start to trim all the season. Can be after 3-4 weeks

How to harvest the leaves?
Trim branches but leave few buds on the branch

Information about leaves:
Green oval leaves

Uses of Basil tree leaves:
Pesto, salad, herb, spices

Vegetative Reproduction

How to start Vegetative Reproduction?
Stems, cutting, bending a branch over and covering it with soil

The best time for vegetative reproduction:
Spring / Summer, in the house you can all the year, need to take care that it’s not too much cold and better not dry

How much time does it take to grow roots in cutting?
1-3 weeks

What is the treatment and care for vegetative reproduction?
When use soil: keep moist, better peat soil and better with root growth hormone also possible to put the stem in glass of water and switch the water every few days, cutting result better in warm season with high humidity, shade with light.

Scientific name:

Ocimum basilicum ‘long feet’

This plant not refer to: Greek basil tree, African tree basil, Sweet basil tree, Basil leaf tree