Pure Italian™ Basil

Pure Italian Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a classic Italian basil bred by Ozbreed for strong, rich flavour and a beautiful aroma. It grows about 30cm high and 25cm wide, with large, glossy green leaves that are made for tomato dishes, pasta and pesto.

Why you'll love it

• Strong, rich Italian flavour. Traditional taste with real intensity, which is why it suits tomato sauces and pesto so well.
• Large, glossy leaves. Big leaves are quick to pick and easy to tear over a dish.
• Beautiful aroma. The scent is part of the pleasure, in the garden as much as the kitchen.
• Cutting grown. Cuttings give consistent flavour, plant to plant and dish to dish.
• Compact. At 30cm high and 25cm wide it fits a pot, a window box or a gap in the vegetable bed.

Where it works best

Kitchen garden beds. Plant 25cm to 30cm apart in well drained, fertile soil, in full sun to very light shade.

Pots and window boxes. A pot of 25cm or more holds one plant. Put it where it gets the most sun and you will pick from it daily.

The pesto patch. For pesto, plant a small block of five or six so you can take leaves from each in turn without stripping any one plant.

In the kitchen. Ozbreed recommends it for tomato dishes, pastas, bakes, meat dishes, pizza and pesto.

Growing Pure Italian Basil in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to very light shade. Plant in late spring or summer, once the soil has warmed. Basil is a warm season herb, so in frosty gardens grow it as a summer annual and plant out after the last frost. In frost free gardens it can last more than a season.

Soil. Well drained, fertile soil or good potting mix suits it. Work compost into the bed before planting.

Water and feed. Keep the soil moist, but avoid over watering and waterlogged conditions. In spring, apply a slow release fertiliser or work in compost. Avoid over fertilising, which grows soft leaves with less flavour.

Pruning and harvest. Pick often from the top, taking stems just above a pair of leaves so the plant branches and stays compact. Pinch out flower buds as soon as they show, because flowering slows leaf production.

What to expect when it arrives

We list Pure Italian Basil in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Stock comes from Ozbreed's licensed growers and is not always available, so a size shows as sold out when no grower has it. The notify button on this page emails you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Edible plants and bush tucker
• Growing a successful fruit and vegetable garden
• Plants that thrive in pots
• See the full Ozbreed range

Common questions

What makes it Italian?

Ozbreed selected it for a strong, rich, classic Italian basil flavour, with large glossy leaves.

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 25cm to 30cm apart. It reaches about 25cm wide.

When should I plant it?

In late spring or summer, once the weather is reliably warm.