GREEN PEPPER BASIL

Ocimum selloi

Very peculiar species, indigenous to the Americas. Part of the Mayan pharmacopoeia, and one of the few New World basils appreciated for its culinary value.

Flavor and fragrance is strikingly similar to that of a green pepper. If you've ever brushed against the leaves of Capsicum pubescens, you'll find the scent of this basil very familiar. Fantastic with eggs and in an herbed cheese. Just a few minced leaves will contribute a new depth of flavor to whatever savory herbal concoctions you already love.

Sow these seeds indoors. Press seeds into moist soil, and barely dust with fine vermiculite. Mist with warm water and cover with plastic. Kept warm (around 75°F) and moist in bright light, seeds will germinate within a week or two. They are slow growing compared to common Ocimum basilicum. Be patient.

Wonderful as a potted herb kept indoors throughout the year. Much slower to flower than common basils. Flowering stems are attractive, with pretty purple flowers on elegantly curved stems. Leaf texture is substantial, and can become fairly tough and leathery if kept in full sun. Partial shade is best. Morning sun is ideal.

Seemingly perennial, flowering stems may be trimmed several times without affecting the health of the plant.

As is the case with many species of basil, taxonomy is confused. Sometimes listed as Ocimum carnosum, but chemically these species appear to be distict from one another, with O. carnosum containing a considerable quantity of elemicin, a constituent of nutmeg that is used to synthesize mescalin. There is no doubt a great deal of morphological diversity within both species, and there could be multiple chemotypes occuring spontaneously in nature. But I feel confident that we are correct in listing this as O. selloi.

Packet contains at least 50 seeds.