Editing Basil (section)

{{Short description|Important culinary herb}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Basel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{speciesbox
|image = Basil-Basilico-Ocimum basilicum-albahaca.jpg
|genus = Ocimum
|species = basilicum
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

'''Basil''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|z|əl}}, {{respell|BAZ|əl}};<ref name="Collins">{{Cite web |title=British: Basil |url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129090005/http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true |archive-date=29 November 2014 |access-date=25 September 2014 |website=[[Collins Dictionary]]}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|USalso|ˈ|b|eɪ|z|əl}}, {{respell|BAY|zəl}};<ref name="Collins2">{{Cite web |title=American: Basil |url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129090005/http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true |archive-date=29 November 2014 |access-date=25 September 2014 |website=[[Collins Dictionary]]}}</ref> '''''Ocimum basilicum''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɒ|s|ɪ|m|ə|m|_|b|ə|ˈ|z|ɪ|l|ɪ|k|ə|m}}, {{respell|OS|ih|məm|_|bə|ZIL|ih|kəm}})<ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Ocimum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|basilica}}</ref>), also called '''great basil''', is a [[culinary herb]] of the family [[Lamiaceae]] (mints). It is a [[hardiness (plants)|tender]] plant, and is used in [[cuisine]]s worldwide. In [[Western cuisine]], the generic term "basil" refers to the [[variety (botany)|variety]] also known as [[Genovese basil]] or sweet basil. Basil is native to tropical regions from [[Central Africa]] to [[Southeast Asia]].<ref name="simon">{{Cite web |last=Simon |first=James E |date=23 February 1998 |title=Basil |url=https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/basil.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502080706/https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/basil.html |archive-date=2 May 2017 |access-date=22 January 2018 |publisher=Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN}}</ref> In [[temperate climate]]s basil is treated as an [[annual plant]], but it can be grown as a short-lived [[perennial]] or [[Biennial plant|biennial]] in warmer [[Hardiness zone|horticultural zone]]s with [[Tropical climate|tropical]] or [[Mediterranean climate]]s.<ref name="simon" />

There are many [[List of basil cultivars|varieties of basil]] including sweet basil, [[Thai basil]] (''O. basilicum'' var. ''thyrsiflora''), and [[Mrs. Burns' Lemon basil|Mrs. Burns' Lemon]] (''O.''{{Nbsp}}''basilicum var. citriodora''). ''O. basilicum'' can [[Cross-pollination|cross-pollinate]] with other species of the ''Ocimum'' genus, producing [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s such as [[lemon basil]] (''O. × citriodorum'') and [[African blue basil]] (''O. × kilimandscharicum'').