Growing as high as 20 inches tall, the fragrant lemon basil is beautiful to look at, with its white flowers in full bloom late in the summer or early fall. Lemon basil is fragrant and lemon-scented. It is a popular herb today, used all around the world. Lemon basil is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisines .
Classification Information:
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Ocimum
Species: O. × africanum
Binomial name: Ocimum × africanum
Lemon Basil Trivia
- Lemon basil is also called hoary basil, Thai lemon basil, and Lao basil.
- Lemon basil is the product of combining basil (Ocimum basilicum) and American basil (Ocimum americanum).
Lemon Basil Buying Guide
The first thing to remember when buying lemon basil is to make sure you don’t confuse it with basil. You can tell lemon basil from basil judging from the appearance of the leaves. Lemon basil has a slimmer profile and it has serrated edges. Lemon basil also does not have the same green color as basil; if you put the two side by side, you will notice the light green color of lemon basil compared to the green of basil.
If you are buying in the fresh produce section of the groceries or supermarkets, you have nothing to worry about since the products there are labeled. If you are looking at freshly cut leaves sold in farm stands or farmers markets, don’t be afraid to ask which is lemon basil and which is basil. It could be an interesting learning experience for you since you get to have a first-hand experience in comparing two herbs and knowing which of the two is basil and which is lemon basil.
Lemon basil is easy to grow, which is why supply is abundant, and because of this, you can buy potted plants, freshly-cut leaves, dried and crushed leaves, and seeds.
Lemon Basil Production & Farming in Texas
Lemon basil is grown in Texas. If you are looking for your regular supply of lemon basil for your restaurant business or home-cooked food, it is best to support your local growers and source your lemon basil from local farmers, and there are several here in Texas.
When planting lemon basil, it is best to sow it indoors and transplant it in six weeks. Lemon basil will grow well somewhere with warm air, soil that has a pH of 5.5 to 7.5, and a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily. Lemon basil will not survive freezing temperatures.
Pesticides:
Common lemon basil pests include Japanese beetles, slugs, and aphids.
- Aphids – Kills aphids destroying your spearmint using neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil. You can also use the pesticide malathion, which is the most commonly used organophosphate insecticide in the United States, or rotenone, a selective, non-specific insecticide typically used in home gardens for insect control. Apply through foliar spraying.
- Japanese beetle – The effective pest control method against this pest is to use pyrethrin, which is a combination of six chemicals (pyrethrin I, pyrethrin II, cinerin I, cinerin II, jasmolin I, and jasmolin II). An organic version of pyrethrin involves the use of chrysanthemum flowers. When using pyrethrin, make sure to mix 7.5 to 15 oz of concentrate in 5 gallons of water and apply enough to cover the upper and lower leaf surfaces.
- Slugs – The use of slug bait or copper tape is an effective pest-control method against slugs.
Geography:
Lemon basil was brought to the Americas in the 17th century. Lemon basil is commonly grown in the countries situated in northeastern Africa as well as southern Asia.
Packaging:
Freshly-cut and freshly-packaged lemon basil are sold in the market or the produce section of the grocery in a sealed transparent clamshell plastic container. Dried and powdered lemon basil come in plastic or glass bottles, or a plastic pack. You’ll find lemon basil seeds sold in plastic packaging too.
Enjoying Lemon Basil
Arabic and Persian cuisines are known for its use of lemon basil. If you are eating Indonesian, Philippine, Lao, or Thai food and detect a lemony flavor in your food, there is a good chance lemon basil was used for this dish. As the name suggests, lemon basil gives you the combo flavors of lemony and minty, different from the flavor profile of basil (herbaceous mint with a hint of anise).
In Indonesia, it is common to eat lemon basil uncooked, mixed with other fresh vegetables and sambal.
Storage:
Put lemon basil inside a plastic bag or wrap it in a paper cloth or towel before putting it inside the refrigerator. Use a freezer bag if you want to freeze it. A third option is filling ice cube trays with water and cut lemon basil leaves.
You can dry lemon basil too. Use the microwave to flash-dry the leaves (start by heating it for 20 seconds and adjust accordingly depending on how the drying is turning out). Once it is brittle, you can crush it and put it inside an herb bottle or any container with a lid. Store somewhere cool, dry, and away from direct sunlight. If you don’t have a microwave, try using a drying screen and place this in a warm, dry room to allow it to completely dry.
Cooking:
When cooking with lemon basil, always keep in mind that it is the better option over basil only if the lemon flavor improves the dish, like seafood and poultry dishes or tomato-based dishes, for example.
How stews and soups are cooked in Laos (where locals call lemon basil pak i tou) particularly the very popular lam, and how curries are made in Indonesia (where locals call lemon basil kemangi) are great examples of utilizing lemon basil’s flavor profile, while in neighboring Malaysia, they use lemon basil for their popular nasi ulam or mixed herb rice. In Thailand, cooking the popular noodle dish khanom chin nam ya is not possible without maenglak (lemon basil). Thai curries also rely on lemon basil for its distinct flavor.
Do not overcook lemon basil. It is best to add lemon basil when you are almost done cooking.
Lemon basil is not just used for savory foods. Sweets like lemon basil cookies are a favorite snack perfect with lemon basil-flavored iced tea.
Nutrition:
Lemon basil is rich in beta carotene and has high levels of vitamin K which is good for those dealing with inflammations. It also contains manganese, copper, vitamin C, calcium, folate, iron, and magnesium. Like basil, lemon basil is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids which helps in keeping our eyes and brain healthy.
- Calcium: 122 milligrams
- Iron: 13.9 milligrams
- Potassium: 259.0 milligrams
- Sodium: 3 milligrams
Nutritional Benefits:
The limonene in lemon basil is a potent inhibitor of cancer cell growth, which is why lemon basil can help protect the body from breast and colon cancer. Limonene is also useful in treating heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux. Citral, on the other hand, helps prevent the production of new cancer cells and limits the growth of breast cancer cells. Beta carotene helps improve our vision while vitamin K helps in bone strength.
