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kremlinkylie

Help Identifying Herbs plz

kremlinkylie
10 years ago

I recently purchased these two plants from my local garden center but they had no tags to identify them. I just had to have them because they smell beatifully especially the green one. The purpleish one has similar leaves but a different structure and has some woody branches.

Comments (9)

  • kremlinkylie
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The other plant :)

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    The second one is basil, called globe basil. The first one could also be a variety of basil. The easiest way to tell is by tasting it. Another possibility is mint.

  • balloonflower
    10 years ago

    Possibly mint, but I would go with Thai Basil for the first. Way too thick for that pot though. If it's anise flavored, then it's probably the Thai basil.

  • weedlady
    10 years ago

    I agree with balloonflower that the 1st basil is a Thai basil, maybe Siam Queen, but I would lean more toward Greek columnar basil for the other. This type is very similar to spicy globe when it it young as Seysonn suggests.

    The Thai basil really has been pinched back a lot to make it so bushy and even woody, as you describe. I would have thought it was a pot full of a number of seedlings.

    There are SO MANY basil cultivars anymore...! You might want to check out Johnny's Selected Seeds; they have 2 pages of basils pictured. And Richter's has even more.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Greek columnar basil

  • kremlinkylie
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you everyone for your replies :) I am very new to herbs and Im glad to find people who know what they are talking about. Any suggestions on what kind of food to add these too?

  • balloonflower
    10 years ago

    Both of those are among the spicier basils. Thai, of course, can be added to most Asian foods, like stir fry. It will have a more pronounced licorice or anise flavor, and if you like that can also be used in other places, like salads or with strawberries. The Greek basil can basically be used like a sweet basil, though it will be a little spicier as well. You could make pesto, add to pasta sauces or whatever.

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    I thin the use of basils is interchangeable. It is like different kinds of apple, Just eat them the same way.
    Basil is not very good in cooking because it will lose its aroma when cooked. Unless it is added last minute to things like pasta sauce. I can eat them as a salad veggie, in sandwich, as garnish(edible).

  • weedlady
    10 years ago

    I like to use the tiny leaves of globe or columnar basil thickly sprinkled as garnish on a plate of sliced home-grown beefsteak tomatoes. Better yet, first top the tomatoes with some mozzerella, grill briefly under the broiler, then add the basil. And/or serve that atop toasted Italian bread on which you have drizzled a bit of good olive oil to make a tasty bruschetta!

    Cinnamon basil is nice chopped fine and tosssed with lightly sugared sliced peaches. The color as well as the flavor complements the peaches wonderfully.

  • nicuuv
    10 years ago

    Dont know about the second one but i can tell you for sure the purple one is african basil..is most used for decoration..it is edible but its leafs are a bit harsh on the tongue