Lemon basil
Encyclopedia
Lemon basil is a hybrid between basil
(Ocimum basilicum) and African basil (Ocimum americanum
).
It is an 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 flower
s 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.
Lemon basil is a popular herb in Arabic, Indonesian, Lao, Persian, and Thai cuisine.
. To season certain Indonesia
n curries, grilled, steamed, soup and stew dishes, lemon basil is often used.
In Laos
, lemon basil is typically used in certain Lao curries, stews, and stir-fried dishes.
In Thailand
, lemon basil is called maenglak and it is one of several types of basil used in Thai cuisine. The leaves are used in certain curries and it is also indispensable for the noodle dish Khanom chin nam ya. The seeds resemble frog's eggs after they have been soaked in water and are used in sweet desserts.
it should be in a spot receiving at least six 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 it should be watered whenever the topmost part of the soil
is dry. At this time the plant will wilt, but will be back to normal once watered.
Basil should never reach flowering during the harvesting periods. If given a chance to flower
, its flavor will be sacrificed and the leaves become smaller and rather leathery. Once the flower clusters form, they should be removed so that the plant will continue its vegetative growth. It is, however, a good idea for it to be left to flower and set seeds that will be collected during fall, because the cold winter frosts will kill the basil plant anyway so sowing the seeds 2 weeks indoors before the last frost
will provide next year's harvest.
Harvesting once a week for each plant will make it bushy due to the side shoots that will develop. The plant should never be completely defoliated. Propagation
is achieved by sowing seeds and from stem cuttings. Seedlings will reach six inches in 3-4 weeks and should be harvested at this time to let them branch out. Stem cuttings will gain root
s after a week of being soaked in water. The setup is simply a Mason jar
filled with water and a square of mesh with big enough holes to hold the plant in place while the roots grow. As many cuttings as the gardener wishes can be planted, preferably the most vigorous stems that can be found because they will root faster. The water should be changed every few days. After 2-3 weeks, the roots will be long enough for the cuttings to be transplanted into pots or planted in their permanent position in the garden
.
Basil
Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum , of the family Lamiaceae , sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries....
(Ocimum basilicum) and African basil (Ocimum americanum
Ocimum americanum
Ocimum americanum, known as lime, hairy or "hoary basil", is an annual herb with white or lavender flowers. It is used for medicinal purposes....
).
It is an herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
grown primarily in northeastern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and southern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, 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 flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s in late summer to early fall. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are similar to basil leaves, but tend to be narrower. Seeds
SEEDS
SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India....
form on the plant after flowering and dry on the plant.
Lemon basil is a popular herb in Arabic, Indonesian, Lao, Persian, and Thai cuisine.
Culinary uses
It is the only basil that is much used in Indonesian cuisine where it is called kemangi. It is often eaten raw with salad or lalap (raw vegetables) and accompanied by sambalSambal
Sambal is a chili based sauce which is normally used as a condiment. Sambals are popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Javanese influence. It is typically made from a variety of chili peppers and is...
. To season certain Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n curries, grilled, steamed, soup and stew dishes, lemon basil is often used.
In Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, lemon basil is typically used in certain Lao curries, stews, and stir-fried dishes.
In Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, lemon basil is called maenglak and it is one of several types of basil used in Thai cuisine. The leaves are used in certain curries and it is also indispensable for the noodle dish Khanom chin nam ya. The seeds resemble frog's eggs after they have been soaked in water and are used in sweet desserts.
Cultivation
Lemon basil requires the same care as other basil varieties. Being a tropical plantPlant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
it should be in a spot receiving at least six 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
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
, chemical or organic. It can really grow in a matter of weeks. The only pointer to remember about watering is it should be watered whenever the topmost part of the soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
is dry. At this time the plant will wilt, but will be back to normal once watered.
Basil should never reach flowering during the harvesting periods. If given a chance to flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
, its flavor will be sacrificed and the leaves become smaller and rather leathery. Once the flower clusters form, they should be removed so that the plant will continue its vegetative growth. It is, however, a good idea for it to be left to flower and set seeds that will be collected during fall, because the cold winter frosts will kill the basil plant anyway so sowing the seeds 2 weeks indoors before the last frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
will provide next year's harvest.
Harvesting once a week for each plant will make it bushy due to the side shoots that will develop. The plant should never be completely defoliated. Propagation
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
is achieved by sowing seeds and from stem cuttings. Seedlings will reach six inches in 3-4 weeks and should be harvested at this time to let them branch out. Stem cuttings will gain root
Root
In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
s after a week of being soaked in water. The setup is simply a Mason jar
Mason jar
A Mason jar is a glass jar used in canning to preserve food. They were invented and patented by John Landis Mason, a Philadelphia tinsmith in 1858. They are also called Ball jars, after Ball Corp., a popular and early manufacturer of the jars; fruit jars because they are often used to store...
filled with water and a square of mesh with big enough holes to hold the plant in place while the roots grow. As many cuttings as the gardener wishes can be planted, preferably the most vigorous stems that can be found because they will root faster. The water should be changed every few days. After 2-3 weeks, the roots will be long enough for the cuttings to be transplanted into pots or planted in their permanent position in the garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
.