Genovese Basil

Ocimum basilicum
Traditional Italian heirloom variety. Shiny dark green leaves have a strong flavour. Grind the leaves with olive oil and freeze in cubes for winter use. Use fresh on salads and cook into sauces. Makes excellent pesto. Allowed to grow out throughout the summer these heat loving plants will produce tiny white blossoms that attract beneficial insects to your garden like bees and hoverflies. Grown next to tomatoes they are said to improve the flavour of the fruit. Start seed indoors and transplant when the weather has warmed.