Basil 'Magical Michael'

Ocimum basilicum 'Magical Michael' | Also known as: Sweet Basil 'Magical Michael', Lemon basil 'Magical Michael', Common basil 'Magical Michael', Greek basil 'Magical Michael' | Rating: 0 votes | Print / Pdf

Ocimum basilicum you'll likely know as the culinery herb basil. Originally from India, basil is used in a lot of Italian dishes. The name basil comes from the Greek word basileus meaning king, Basil is a very versatile ingredient. The leaves can easily be blanched and frozen so you can use it at your leisure. It's gorgeous eaten fresh, added to a sandwich for example, or cooked in a dish for added flavour. Add it at the last minute though as cooking reduces the intensity of the flavour. It is the main ingredient of pesto, which is also easy to make yourself. Basil is very sensitive to cold so it is best grown indoors on a windowsill unless you live in a very warm climate. It is also very prone to aphids.

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Plant
Known dangers?
  • no
Height [m]
  • 0.2 - 0.3
Spread [m]
  • 0.3
Dominant flower colour
  • Purple
Flower Fragrance
  • No, neutral please
Flowering seasons
  • Late summer
  • Early autumn
Foliage in summer
  • Green
Propagation methods
  • seed
Growth habit
  • Clump-forming
  • Erect
Environment
Acidity
  • Acidic
  • Neutral
  • Alkaline
Hardiness zone
  • Z9-11
Heat zone
  • H11-1
Winter temperatures [°C]
  • -7 - 4
Heat days
  • 0 - 210
Moisture
  • well-drained
Soil type
  • sandy
  • loams
Sun requirements
  • Full sun
Exposure
  • Sheltered
Usage
Standard category
  • Vegetables & herbs
  • Herbs
Grown for
  • Culinary use
Creative category
  • Kid Approved
  • Fast growing
  • For Beginners
  • Outdoor food
Garden type
  • Containers
  • Kitchen garden
  • City
Garden spaces
  • Borders
Gardening expertise
  • beginner
Time to reach full size
  • Less than one year
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Ocimum basilicum

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Ocimum basilicum you'll likely know as the culinery herb basil. Originally from India, basil is used in a lot of Italian dishes. The name basil comes from the Greek word basileus meaning king, Basil is a very versatile ingredient. The leaves can easily be blanched and frozen so you can use it at your leisure. It's gorgeous eaten fresh, added to a sandwich for example, or cooked in a dish for added flavour. Add it at the last minute though as cooking reduces the intensity of the flavour. It is the main ingredient of pesto, which is also easy to make yourself. Basil is very sensitive to cold so it is best grown indoors on a windowsill unless you live in a very warm climate. It is also very prone to aphids.

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