Basil
by Gudrun Maybaum
Winter 2003
Botanical Name: Ocimum Basilicum
Family: Labiate (mint)
Why do I write about a summer herb in the middle of the winter? Spring will be here in a few months, and with it the West Nile virus, so I did some research on how to protect myself and my pets from it.
A major issue seems to be to keep away mosquitoes, and basil is an herb that mosquitoes dislike.
Basil originates from India and is still regarded as holy by the Hindus. It is planted around Krishna’s temples and a bouquet of basil is laid on the deceased's chest for protection.
Basil found its way to Egypt about 4,000 years ago, and there it was burned together with myrrh to appease the gods. Remnants of basil wreaths have been found in Egyptian tombs.
Around the 12th century, basil made its way to middle Europe and finally, in 1600, to England. For a long time, basil had both a beneficial and an evil reputation.
One side associated it with the basilisk, whose breath and look could kill, and that is where the name supposedly came from. Some believed that just smelling basil would allow a scorpion to nest in the brain. Others believed that it gave courage and strength, and drew poisons from the body.
The argument seemed to be mainly between the Greeks, who did not like it, and the Romans, who loved it. The Roman naturalist Pliny claimed that it relieves flatulence, which is supported by modern pharmacology.
For hundreds of years, basil oil was added to wash water to give it a sweet fragrance, and it is still used in some of today’s perfumes.
Sweet basil is reputed to be the sweetest in flavor among basil varieties, and it is the most commonly cultivated for today’s culinary market. In the US, most sweet basil is grown in California, but it is also grown commercially in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
There is a reason that sweet basil is one of American’s favorite herbs. It can be added to innumerable raw and cooked dishes, like salads, soups, vegetables, chicken and beef, but tomato-based dishes especially benefit from a few leaves of sweet basil.
Basil not only enhances the flavor of a dish, at the same time it supports the digestive tract in stimulating the production of bile and gastric acid juices. Basil calms an upset stomach, is a good remedy for nausea and is said to prevent peptic ulcers and other stress-related conditions like hypertension.
Basil is a cooling herb, which means it can be used to prevent or reduce fever. The oil can be rubbed at the temples for headaches.
Basil is also known for its anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and fungicidal properties. Its leaves can be applied to itchy skin, insect bites and skin problems. Medicinally, it is mostly useful for its ability to reduce blood sugar levels. Several sources even mention basil for food poisoning and a congested liver.
Basil is best seeded indoors. Because it is susceptible to cold weather, it should not be transplanted outdoors before night-time temperatures stay above 50 degrees. Basil loves warmth and a rich moist soil to grow well. So a place in the sun, a soil with lots of compost or well-aged manure for good nutrients and regular watering will make it grow in plentitude. It is a good companion plant for tomatoes and peppers. It helps tomatoes ward off several insects and disease, and it needs about the same conditions as peppers. Tomatoes are also plants that repel mosquitoes.
The best time to harvest basil is in the morning, when the dew is gone from the leaves but the heat of the day has not yet reached the plant. Regular harvesting increases its growth.
References
Das grosse BLV Buch der Kraeuter & Gewuerze by Sarah Garland
(Magic and Medicine of Plants)
Carrots love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte
The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra
Earl Mindell’s Herb Bible
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/basbus17.html
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/basswe18.html
http://www.newcrops.uq.edu.au/newslett/ncnl6154.htm
http://www.culinarycafe.com/Spices_Herbs/Basil.html
http://www.garden-services.com/sweet_basil.htm
http://www.go-symmetry.com/info/holy-basil.htm