Thai Basil

Has a nice, deeper licorice flavor than sweet generally. Smells lovely, though tends to flower early. Many keep just as an ornamental.

Agreed. My favorite thai basil is the open-pollinated "Siam Queen."

FataMorgana

Thank you both for such quick responses!

It is also called Holy Basil.

I though Holy Basil (Tulsi) is different.
Tulsi can get quite big but This Basil is not like that unless in the tropics that they have no cold and frost.

Holy basil is different. I've grown them both. This is holy basil.

FataMorgana

{{gwi:305491}}

Yep- holy basil is tulsi. Now, I have another one for you all to i.d. for me. This one has multi-flowering stems instead of a single long bloom. Any ideas? Thanks so much!

Holy ..!!!
I have never seen such a basil. That is very unusual.

At a guess, I'd say Cardinal Basil, though I've not specifically grown it myself for a good comparison.

From what I know, it's more of an ornamental type variety. Not that it's not edible, just prettier than it tastes.

Reminds me of cinnamon basil. I grew that a few years back and I seem to recall the flowers being more full than the thai basil that the foliage looked so similar to.

FataMorgana

Could be Siam queen. For sure a thai basil.

Thanks so much- I was thinking it might be a thai siam queen basil since the photos seem to match up. The stems smelled of licorice somewhat. I "helped" myself to some seeds at an area park/garden. Will probably grow only as an ornamental.

The shape and color of the leaves is like Thai variety. Also flowers but only fuller, I think. Thai related basils are ornamental due to the fact that they keep flowering from early on and continue.
Actually, I have a planter that I have planted Alyssum, sangria ornamental pepper, parsley, chives and Thai basil in it.
They are all still going.

That's great they're still going- I've brought my herbs indoors already.

The second looks like the Siam Queen I grew this year.

Thx CaraRose. I'm thinking the same thing! I can't wait to grow it only because it's different...