Cinnamon basil, also known as Mexican spice basil, has a spicy, fragrant aroma and flavour. It contains methyl cinnamate, the same chemical that gives cinnamon its flavour.

Cinnamon basil has somewhat narrow, slightly serrated, dark green, shiny leaves with reddish-purple veins, which can resemble certain types of mint, and produces small, pink flowers from July to September. Its stems are dark purple. Cinnamon basil grows to 18–30 inches tall.

Cinnamon basil is an easy-to-grow herb. It requires six to eight hours of bright sunlight per day. Although it is often grown as an annual, it is a perennial in USDA plant hardiness zones 9–11. Cinnamon basil is sometimes planted near tomatoes and roses to discourage pests such as whiteflies.

Sweet basil is commonly grown as an aromatic culinary and medicinal herb in warm temperate and tropical climates.

The growing or dried plant is an effective insect repellent. It is a good plant to grow in the home, where it repels flies, or in the greenhouse where it can keep all manner of insect pests away from nearby plants. It has been used in the past as a strewing herb.

Sweet basil has been used for thousands of years as a culinary and medicinal herb.

Basil is a perennial plant in the tropics, but it is frost tender and needs to be grown as a half-hardy annual in temperate zones. It requires a good hot summer in Britain if it is to do well outdoors.

It is a very good companion plant to grow in the house or greenhouse, its aromatic foliage helping to reduce problems caused by insect pests.

Sweet basil is a good companion plant for tomatoes but it grows badly with rue and sage. When grown near raspberries it can retard their fruiting.

Sow mid to late spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination is usually free and quick, prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. If growing basil outdoors, plant out after the last expected frosts.

Edible uses