Italian Large Leaf Basil

Let’s face it - we want it all when it comes to our gardens - aromatic, beautiful, easy & useful - am I right? Well, we can have it all with this essential Basil, a key ingredient in Northern Italian cooking. Giant (to 3" long), glossy-green, fragrant & tasty leaves fill out a gorgeous, slow-to-bolt plant that grows to 2' tall by 15" wide in no time at all - PLUS, it helps chase away unwanted garden pests, like aphids & mites! Not only the very best Basil to use in fresh pesto, take delight in the thinly-sliced leaves sprinkled over your sliced, summer-ripe tomatoes this pairing makes for great side-by-side garden companions, too. Dried, this herb delivers a sweet/savory punch to your soups, sauces & veggies year 'round! (To dry, hang the entire plant upside down, then pick off whole leaves & store them for up to a year - don't crumble leaves until you're ready to use 'em, to maintain the flavor!) Pinch it back to keep it compact & to forestall the lovely little pink-white flowers that signal the season's end.

Annual herb growing to 12 inches requiring a sunny location and well drained soil... used in tomato-spaghetti, stews, fish, vinegars, salads, etc