Photo and description of the types and varieties of the many-sided basil
There is no brighter spicy herb in the summer cottage than basil, the photo of the varieties of which amaze with juicy green, purple and violet tones. The aroma of fresh herbs is no less rich. Depending on the variety, the fragrance of the leaves resembles the smell pepper and vanilla, cinnamon, camphor, lemon and clove, caramel and all sorts of combinations of these notes.
There are several dozen types of basil in the world, but only a few are used for selection and cultivation as a garden and essential oil crop. Read:basil - benefits and harms to men's health!
Basil views, photos and short descriptions
The leaves, inflorescences and stems of the camphor or mint-leaved variety, in contrast to the fragrant basil, are covered with small hairs, some of which contain a fragrant essential oil that determines the recognizable aroma. Heat-loving, like other types and varieties of basil, the plant has long been appreciated by pharmacists and perfumers. Before World War II, the herbaceous shrubs of the basil shown in the photo in the south of the country were grown for the industrial production of camphor.
In the Crimea, the Kuban and the North Caucasus, eugenol basil is grown, which is almost twice as large as its counterparts and, due to the high content of eugenol, has a bright clove smell. The plant is highly regarded as an essential oil crop and serves as a raw material for the production of a vanillin substitute for perfumery and cosmetic products.
In India, of all the varieties and types of basil, we especially revered the sacred or fine-colored basil. In a warm climate, tulasi, as this plant is called, has the appearance of a perennial herbaceous shrub, has a sharp smell of carnation, and the leaves can be both green and purple.
Basil aroma is determined by the combination of essential oils present in the greens.
Modern varieties have an incredibly bizarre range of smells, which is not available to any spice and flavor culture.
At the same time, all varieties of basil grown in gardens, as in the photo, are thermophilic and can seriously freeze even at zero temperature. But this does not stop summer residents planting seedlings or sowing basil already at the beginning of summer, when the time of frosts and cold nights has passed.
Descriptions and photos of varieties of basil of domestic selection
The beginning of the industrial cultivation of basil in the USSR was laid in the 20s of the last century. Then the culture was recommended only for the southern regions, including the Crimea and the Caucasus. The Voronezh region was then recognized as the northern border of the comfort zone. Today, excellent varieties of green and purple basil are available to gardeners in other areas.
Basil variety Anise The aroma with a fresh, sweet-spicy scent of anise is easily recognizable not only by the aroma, but also by the combination of green, rather small leaves and reddish-brown or green-purple stems. A medium-sized bush willingly branches and supplies the summer resident with excellent spicy herbs throughout the warm season.
Basil variety, pictured, Lemon aroma for cooking gives juicy bright greens with an invigorating scent of lemon in a month and a half after germination. The variety belongs to large-leaved varieties with a characteristic, bubbly shape of leaf plates, and also stands out for a high concentration of essential oils that give green foliage the ability to soften coughs, soothe stomach cramps, and facilitate the treatment of inflammatory diseases and wounds.
Bred specifically for lovers of spicy, spicy tea, the Lemon aroma forms a small, up to 35 cm high bush with light green leaves and white-green spike-shaped inflorescences.
The entire aerial portion of this early-ripening lemon basil contains a lot of essential oils and can be used both fresh and for winter storage, drying and freezing.
Basil Vanilla aroma does not stand out for its large size. The bush grows only up to 35 - 40 centimeters, but the variety with purple jagged leaves and lilac flowers is still very interesting to gardeners. The reason is the sweetish smell of vanilla, unusual for a spicy herb, which makes basil indispensable in desserts and fruit and berry preservation, in sweet pastries and fruit salads. The spicy leaf will add an oriental character to your tea.
Varieties with this leaf tint are often referred to as purple or red basil. But in this case, do not confuse basil with perilla, a lesser-known spice with green, variegated or purple foliage of a pointed-heart-shaped or curly shape.
Basil Green fragrant after sowing grows quickly, forming a well-branching shrub with a height of 40 to 50 centimeters. The large foliage is bright green, has a smooth crunchy surface and a piquant spicy aroma. Basil variety, pictured, goes well with fresh tomatoes, cottage cheese and cheese, can be used in meat dishes and marinades.
Basil variety Wonderful day will delight the gardener with a fresh aniseed scent and a spicy, pleasant taste. The leaves of this variety are small, with deep purple veins. The stems are anthocyanin-colored, branch well and reach a height of 40-50 cm.
The cinnamon aroma of basil The fragrant beauty and its bright green-lilac leaves made the variety one of the leaders among summer residents of Russia. An unusual addition to fruits, desserts, hot and cold drinks will delight both adults and young gourmets.
The Caramel variety belongs to the mid-season varieties. One and a half or two months after sowing, the plant forms a bush 40–50 cm high with smooth, dark green foliage. The main feature of the culture is revealed in the name of the variety. The greens have a pleasant caramel flavor that will undoubtedly add a spicy note to desserts, baked goods, fruit salads and homemade products.
Basil Purple aromatic - an irreplaceable addition to roasted and baked meat, fresh salads and marinades. A basil bush with purple foliage, the same stems and pink-purple inflorescences per season gives up to 230 grams of excellent fragrant greenery and branches quickly when pinching the tops.
Basil Violet fragrant with large purple-red leaves and crimson or purple flowers has a rich pepper aroma. To preserve the smell, the leaves are recommended to be added fresh, and also used in marinades, home preservation, for the preparation of flavored vegetable oils and vinegar.
The variety belongs to the mid-early varieties, and over the summer, up to 250 grams of fresh foliage can be obtained from the plant.
Basil variety Smuglyanka will delight lovers of spicy purple foliage with a bright peppery smell and tart taste, indispensable in pickles and salads with ripe tomatoes or spaghetti.
One of the most famous and favorite varieties of basil, in the photo, is rightfully considered Ararat with purple flowers, purple-violet stems and green leaves, generously decorated with lilac, purple dusting and veins. The greens of Ararat basil have a classic peppery aroma, pleasant taste, and the plants are entirely prized for their productivity, fast growth rates and great taste.
For lovers of plant growing on the windowsill, the Basilisk basil depicted in the photo with medium-sized green leaves and a bush only 20 centimeters high is suitable.At home, greens with a pepper-clove smell grow without problems throughout the year. You can even transplant an adult plant grown for garden beds into a pot.
Early spicy herbs will give the summer resident basil Taste of Cinnamon. The leaves of this variety not only have a cinnamon aroma unusual for the culture, but will also decorate any dish thanks to the purple or violet veins penetrating the entire leaf plate.
A mid-season variety of green basil Gourmet Clove is a truly versatile plant whose delicious foliage goes equally well with vegetables and meat, cheese and fish. The abundantly growing greens are suitable for fresh consumption and do not lose their clove smell after drying. During the season, a bush up to 60 cm high gives about 800 grams of juicy elliptical leaves.
The purple basil of the Yerevan variety, well-known to Russian gardeners, quickly forms a sprawling, well-branching bush up to 60 centimeters high. The leaves of this variety have a pepper aroma with warm tea shades and do not lose their properties after drying or freezing.
Vegetable tonus, which gives a spicy clove aroma and a home-preserved flavor, is one of the most popular varieties among summer residents, in demand due to its high yield and bright clove scent of greenery. During the season, rapidly growing shrubs from a square meter give up to three kilograms of spicy foliage for universal use.
Even in the photo of the Thai Queen basil variety, you can clearly see how original and bright this plant looks. The variety that rightfully received the royal title not only amazes with its unusual purple-lilac inflorescences and elongated green foliage. The greens of this variety have a classic peppery smell and a spicy taste. This type of basil, which blooms for two months, will be appreciated by lovers of ornamental plants, as well as those who keep pots of herbs at home, on a windowsill or balcony.