Basil (Ocimum basilicum), also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also known as Genovese basil or sweet basil. Basil is native to tropical and subtopical Asia and Australasia from India and Sri Lanka east to southeastern China, Taiwan, and south through Southeast Asia, the Philippines, New Guinea, to northern Australia. In temperate climates basil is treated as an annual plant, but it can be grown as a short-lived perennial or biennial in warmer horticultural zones with tropical or Mediterranean climates.
There are many cultivars of basil including sweet basil, Thai basil (O. basilicum 'Thyrsiflora'), and Mrs. Burns' Lemon (O. basilicum 'Citriodorum'). Ocimum basilicum can cross-pollinate with other species in the genus Ocimum, producing hybrids such as lemon basil (O. × africanum) and African blue basil (O. × kilimandscharicum).
