2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Sweet basil (lat. Ocimum basilicum) - a herbaceous annual of the genus Basil of the family Yasnotkovye. The species is actively used in culinary activities as a fragrant spice and alternative medicine. In nature, the species is found in the Caucasus, including Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as in Russia, in Africa and South America. Other names are garden basil, common basil.
Characteristics of culture
Fragrant basil is represented by herbaceous plants up to 70 cm high, endowed with straight tetrahedral stems and a superficial strongly branching root. The foliage of the species under consideration is ovoid, oblong, toothed, green, rarely pubescent with short (barely noticeable) hairs, numerous, sits on short petioles.
The flowers can be white-cream, light purple or light pink, always equipped with bracts, collected in whorls, are formed in the axils of the upper foliage. The fruits are brown nuts. Seeds are small, viable for up to 5 years. Flowering culture is observed in July-August, fruiting - not earlier than late August - early September.
Growing features
Fragrant basil belongs to the category of warm and light-loving plants. It is preferable to plant it in well-lit areas protected from cold northerly winds that can break fragile plant stems. Soils, in turn, should be fertilized, moderately moist, loamy or sandy loam, drainage is also encouraged. It is not recommended to cultivate the crop in dry, poor, heavy and swampy areas. Lowlands with stagnant water and cold air are also not welcome.
Fragrant basil is propagated by sowing seeds. Sowing is recommended to be carried out immediately in open ground, however, if you want to get seeds, it is better to sow sweet basil for seedlings. This aspect especially concerns central Russia. As a rule, seedlings appear amicably, but under the condition of an optimal temperature, the lower limit of which is 10C.
The soil for the crop must be prepared properly. It is recommended to carefully dig it up (to the depth of a bayonet shovel), fill it with organic and mineral fertilizers. If plowing is carried out in spring, only rotted organic matter should be introduced; fresh manure should not be used. Crops should be watered regularly and moderately, weeding and thinning should be carried out if necessary.
Application
As already mentioned, sweet basil is used in cooking and alternative medicine. The aerial part of the plant has a specific, but very interesting aroma, which gives the dishes a special zest. Most often, fragrant basil is used in Caucasian cuisine. It is added to meat marinades, salads, nutritious drinks, soups and other culinary delights. Also, fragrant basil is used for pickling, pickling and pickling vegetables. Often, the land-based crop is combined with other herbs such as cilantro, parsley and tarragon.
In medicine, the considered type of basil is used in the treatment of gastritis, neuroses, headaches, tonsillitis, stomatitis, asthma and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also advised to use it in the absence of appetite. Most often, medicinal infusions and decoctions are prepared from plant herbs. The latter are often used to accelerate the healing of wounds, cuts and cracks.
By the way, plants make an essential oil from the herb, which has found application not only in the food industry, but also in perfumery. Eugenol is also obtained from the plant. It, in turn, is actively used in the cosmetic industry for the manufacture of shampoos, soaps, shower gels, bath foams, lip balms and remedies for problem skin.
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