Variety field guide
What to expect from Licorice Basil
Licorice Basil is an annual basil selection grown for fresh leaves, tea or culinary use, pollinator flowers, containers, and seed saving.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
An enchanting variety with an unmistakable sweet-anise aroma, Ocimum basilicum ‘Licorice’ brings a refreshing twist to the basil family. Its flavor combines the smooth sweetness of Genovese basil with the clean, cooling undertone of anise and tarragon-delicate yet deeply aromatic. The light green leaves are narrow and slightly serrated, held on graceful purple-tinged stems that add ornamental beauty to the herb garden.
About Licorice Basil
Licorice Basil is an annual selection of basil, with a mounding habit and an expected height or spread of 19–24 in. It is best suited to fresh leaves, tea or culinary use, pollinator flowers, containers, and seed saving. Notable traits include harvest leafy tips before heavy flowering; allow selected plants to flower fully for seed; aromatic leaves shaped by the named basil type.
When growing Licorice Basil, judge the whole planting for trueness to type instead of selecting conclusions from one unusually large or early plant.
History and provenance
Cultivated basils include multiple Ocimum species and hybrids selected across Africa and Asia for fragrance, culinary use, devotional practice, leaf form, and ornamental color. Sweet basil, holy basil, clove basil, and lemon basil are not automatically interchangeable, even when all are sold under the common word basil. Licorice Basil Licorice Basil carries a long and aromatic history that stretches from ancient Persia and India to the gardens of Europe. Early herbalists prized it for its sweet anise scent, which was used in both medicine and cookery. Traders along the Silk Road helped spread this variety westward, where it quickly captivated growers for its fragrance reminiscent of licorice, tarragon, and sweet basil all in one. Its flavor and perfume made it a favorite in herbal elixirs, confections, and sacred offerings alike. In Middle Eastern and South Asian traditions, licorice-scented basils were considered uplifting and cleansing, often used to flavor drinks and soothe the body. When it reached Europe, it found a place in apothecaries and monastery gardens, where monks distilled its oils into tonics believed to calm the nerves and aid digestion. Believed to trace its lineage to the Persian and Indian basils, Licorice basil carries centuries of cultivation and trade within its scent.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Ocimum basilicum L. |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity | 60-69 Days |
| Germination | 5-10 Days at 70–85 °F |
| Seed depth | 1/8 in |
| Plant height / spread | 19–24 in |
| Growth habit | Mounding |
| Spacing | 10 in between plants; 18 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Licorice Basil from seed
Sow 1/8 in deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist. Expect emergence in 5-10 Days when the seed-zone temperature is near 70–85 °F. Germination preparation: Use a fine, evenly moist seed-starting mix or prepared seedbed. Light requirement: Light aids germination; barely cover. Soaking: None required. Stratification: None required. Scarification: None required.
Planting and care
Plant during late Spring and provide full sun. Space plants 10 in apart with 18 in between rows. Use loamy with a pH near 6.0–6.5, and follow a moderate watering plan. Support requirement: No-Support. Frost response: Tender. Medium to large container or in-ground bed; avoid crowding
Harvest and use
Approximately 60-69 Days, from transplanting to the first substantial leaf harvest. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. Harvest: Harvest leafy tips before heavy flowering; allow selected plants to flower fully for seed. Uses: Fresh leaves, tea or culinary use, pollinator flowers, containers, and seed saving. Flavor: aromatic leaves shaped by the named basil type. Seed saving: Open-pollinated herb or leafy crop. Best uses include fresh leaves, tea or culinary use, pollinator flowers, containers, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality: aromatic leaves shaped by the named basil type.
Saving seed
Select several healthy, true-to-type Licorice Basil plants that match the expected mounding habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Open-pollinated herb or leafy crop. Compatible plants of the same species may cross to varying degrees through insects or wind. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Allow selected plants to pass the eating stage and reach full botanical seed maturity. Harvest only when seed heads, pods, or fruits have matured enough for sound seed development. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
Common problems
Common concerns: Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, slugs, damping-off, root rot, and leaf diseases under humid crowded conditions. Management: Provide airflow, drainage, moderate fertility, careful watering, and clean harvest practices. Contain spreading mints where needed. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions - Licorice Basil
When is Licorice Basil ready? Use 60-69 Days. Approximately 60-69 Days, from transplanting to the first substantial leaf harvest. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date.
How long does germination take? Expect 5-10 Days at about 70–85 °F. Cooler, hotter, crusted, saturated, or dry seedbeds can slow emergence.
How large does it grow? Expect about 19–24 in with a mounding habit. Space plants 10 in apart and rows 18 in apart. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container? Medium to large container or in-ground bed; avoid crowding Use a container with drainage and enough volume to maintain the listed spacing and steady moisture.
Can I save seed? Open-pollinated herb or leafy crop. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity.
