Basil

Common basil (Ocimum basilicum), also known as “royal herb” (from the Greek basilicum – royal), is an annual herbaceous plant with a bare four-lobed stem. It reaches a height of 60 cm when branched. Its leaves are ovate-oblong with long petioles and pointed at the end. The flowers are mostly white, very rarely purple-white or red. The fruits are dry and, after ripening, break up into four small seeds. It blooms from June to September.

As an herb and spice, the above-ground part of the plant is used, most often the stems in fresh form, and is harvested during flowering, and for drying – before flowering. It contains essential oil, bitter substance, glycosides, tannins, organic acids, mineral salts. Basil is native to the tropics of Asia and Africa. It has been cultivated in Europe for centuries.

In cooking, it is an indispensable ingredient in many Italian dishes (spaghetti, macaroni, pizza), a seasoning for roast beef and poultry. The famous Italian pesto sauce is made from it.