Lemon basil
| Lemon Basil | |
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| Species: | O. × citriodorum
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| Ocimum × citriodorum Vis.
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Lemon Basil (Ocimum × citriodorum) is a hybrid between basil (Ocimum basilicum) and African basil (Ocimum americanum)).
It is a herb grown primarily in northeastern Africa and southern Asia, for its strong fragrant lemon scent is used in cooking.
Lemon basil has stems that can grow to 20-40 cm tall. It has white flowers in late summer to early fall. The leaves are similar to basil leaves, but tend to be narrower. Seeds form on the plant after flowering and dry on the plant.
Culture
Lemon Basil requires the same care as other basil varieties. Being a tropical plant it should be in a spot receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. It is actually quite hardy and will grow continuously given only water, but flavor will be at risk if not given any fertilizer, chemical or organic. It can really grow in a matter of weeks. The only pointer to remember about watering is water whenever the topmost part of the soil is dry. At this time the plant will wilt, but will be back to normal once watered.
The thing about basil is to never let it reach flowering during the harvesting periods. If given a chance to flower, its flavor will be sacrificed and the leaves become rather leathery. Once the flower clusters form, remove them so that the plant will continue its vegetative growth. It is, however, a good idea to let it flower and set seeds that you will collect during fall, because the cold winter frosts will kill your basil plant anyway so just plant the seeds 2 weeks before the last frost.
Harvesting once a week for each plant will make it bushy due to the side shoots that will develop. Never completely defoliate the plant. Propagation is achieved by planting seeds and from stem cuttings. Seedlings will reach six inches in 3-4 weeks and by this time, you should start harvesting to let them branch out. Stem cuttings will gain roots after a week of being soaked in water. Just take a mason jar and fill it with water. Put a square of mesh on top of the jar with holes big enough to hold the cuttings. Take as many cuttings as you wish, preferably the most vigorous stems you can find because they will root faster. Make sure the water is changed every few days. After 2-3 weeks, their roots will be long enough for it to be transplanted into a pot or to its permanent position in your garden.
References
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