Banana tree came nice and healthy and ready to go!
Pinch off flowers to maximize leaf production; attracts beneficial pollinators
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Ocimum basilicum Genovese Basil
Ocimum basilicum Genovese Basil is the quintessential culinary herb, prized worldwide for its large, spoon-shaped leaves and intense, sweet-spicy aroma. Growing to about 18 to 24 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 16 inches, this variety is the standard-bearer for kitchen gardens, raised beds, and patio containers where premium flavor is the priority. Unlike smaller bush varieties, Genovese Basil produces broad, slightly crinkled foliage with a high essential oil content, making it the superior choice for authentic Italian cooking and fresh summer eating.
Culinary and Practical Uses
- The definitive herb for classic Genovese pesto, its large volume and robust flavor profile stand up perfectly to pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan.
- Essential for Caprese salads, where the fresh, peppery-sweet leaves pair flawlessly with ripe tomatoes, mozzarella, and balsamic glaze.
- Both the flower buds and white blossoms are edible, offering a milder basil flavor that makes an elegant garnish for soups, pasta dishes, and cocktails.
Characteristics
- Foliage: Large, glossy, bright green leaves with a convex, spoon-like shape and a powerful clove-anise scent; tender and succulent, perfect for using fresh or processing into sauces.
- Growth Habit: Vigorous, upright, and bushy; branches freely when pinched, creating a dense canopy of harvestable greens throughout the warm season.
- Flowers: Produces tall spikes of small white flowers in mid-to-late summer, which are highly attractive to bees but should be removed to maintain leaf flavor.
- Seeds: Harvested after flower spikes dry and turn brown to reveal tiny, black, tear-shaped seeds; easily saved for next year's planting.
Growing Requirements
- Sun: Thrives in full sun; requires at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight to develop its signature aroma and lush growth.
- Soil: Prefers rich, fertile, well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter; warm soil is critical for vigorous starts.
- Water: Requires consistent moisture; keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, and water at the base to avoid wetting the leaves, which can cause fungal issues.
- Spacing: Plant seeds or transplants 12 to 18 inches apart to ensure good air circulation, which is vital for preventing mildew in this large-leaved variety.
- Maintenance: Harvest leaves frequently and pinch off the growing tips (apical meristems) weekly to encourage lateral branching and delay flowering.
Shipping Info
Genovese Basil seeds ship as fresh, high-quality, viable seeds that are carefully packaged for stability and protection from damage during transit. Prompt shipping supports reliable germination and seasonally appropriate planting.
Growing Zones
3a - 11b
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Low Temperature
50°F
High Temperature
90°F
Fragrant
Yes
Polinator Required
No
Polinator Friendly
Yes
Flower Color
Green White
Growth Rate
Fast
Soil
Rich, fertile, well-draining soil
Moisture
Moderate
Sun Exposure
Full sun
Mature Spread
12 - 16 inches
Mature Height
18 - 24 inches
Bloom Period
Summer
Pruning Time
Throughout the season
Pet Safe
Yes
Perennial / Annual
Annual
Evergreen / Deciduous
Deciduous
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Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.7 / 5 from 397 reviews.
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Haven’t transplanted yet, but it’s a beautiful plant. We are gifting it to a friend that moved…Friendship Plant is very appropriate!
I love it
Truly tiny is still tiny but healthy!
It seems to be doing well but could have been packed better.
Blossom Dale did a wonderful job with packaging and Sedum Autumn Joy plants arrived in great condition and are thriving. So far so good.
The milkweed is not doing well...
Very healthy cutting. Followed the instructions and let it get acclimated to its new surroundings for a couple of weeks before repotting. Would not hesitate to purchase from this business again 😃
Plants arrived in great condition. This plant has only been in the ground about 10 days and is growing a lot. The plant cage is 12” tall so it’s doing well. I put guards around my new plants for a little while because I have bunnies who love tender young leaves.
Got this for my wife’s birthday. Plan to pot it soon.
I got 2 mystery plants (one indoor and one outdoor). The indoor was a pilea and the outdoor plant was a white blackberry. White blackberry was dramatic, but it’s making a comeback and the pilea is doing great!
Came in well packed and the plant was alive and healthy!
Even though the newest leaf was broken off it seems to be doing well
My little banana arrived happy and healthy!
The plant arrived well packaged with instructions on how to get started. It had been doing really well and has been growing like a weed!
It is just putting roots down now.
Received in great condition, transplanted just before heavy rain and its thriving
Just a little shock put her in a fabric pot on the back porch full sun should be happy thank you for the lovely plant
Fair price good looking plant can’t wait for it to get bigger!
Need to upgrade your packaging. I would suggest taping the plant in place in the cardboard tube on the count that it slid and smashed itself. Luckily, it's a strong plant and should recover. Hoping.for the best.
So Beautiful. Packaged well . Love my little guy.
It’s so cool I love it!!!
She is doing well even after a rough delivery. She is thriving and putting on new growth. Thank you.
The plant arrived after a few delivery reroutes. It came with three leaves two so far are healthy one was dying and has since died. The two remaining leaves appear to be doing well.
After overcoming the initial travel stress. The plants are doing well.
The follow up plants were very good
Customer service here is second to none! Very very happy and already made another purchase. But anyway, I ordered 1 and they sent me 2 beautiful babies! I'm so excited to watch them grow!
This little guy came in perfect. Despite the cat knocking it over and being placed in the soup cup for safer keeping, it’s thriving and happy. Once it’s bigger then it will make its way outdoors.
I like it very much and looking forward to eating some cherries
This is my first year of ordering live plants on line. I live in an apt, but have a nice size patio to do container planting. I'm waking up my green thumb and loving it.
Got a great little house plant for $9.99!!!
I am very happy for all the Butterworth I got extra like usual which was nice I put them all in pots for now I'll do my project later after they get growing thank you
Plant came packaged perfectly. Fast shipping. Can’t wait to see it grow!
I received what I believe is a very healthy plant. Unfortunately, the shipping was very hard on the plant. It is quickly bouncing back. Wish I would have known it was a seedling .
The package arrived with no issues. The fig was very stable & looked like it came out of the nursery (it did). The USDA certificates for Gypsy moth /Japanese beetles ensures the plant were checked makes me feel I finally found an institution which cares about the customer & plant. Thanks Jose
Thank you
I’m excited about this tiny banana tree and can’t wait to see it grow more! It came well packed and in perfect shape. Now this beautiful little plant has burned leaves, but that’s my fault because I left it out on my patio in the sun for a long time. Don’t do what I did. But you can see a new leaf already sprouting in the middle and just about to unfurl. I have no doubt this tiny tree will grow well.
Cute and healthy
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