Siam Queen Thai Basil Seeds

Days to Maturity: 72 from direct sow

All-America Selections (AAS) Winner 1997

Siam Queen is as gorgeous in the garden as it is delicious on the dinner plate! The sturdy stems support extra-large, 4-inch-long and 2-inch-wide bright green leaves. Clusters of small, intensely colored deep purple flowers appear on the very top of the plant, for a highly ornamental effect. Redolent of licorice, this basil is to delightful, your only problem will be whether to grow it for cuisine or for beauty.

Unlike the sweet basils you may be familiar with from Italian cuisine and pestos, this Thai basil has a strong anise flavor and a good spicy bite. You can still detect the familiar basil taste beneath these elements, but it adds an entirely new and delicious level of seasoning to any dish. The aroma carries the spiciness as well, perfuming the warm summer air magnificently.

Siam Queen can be grown two ways: as a seasoning for food or as an ornamental plant. The way you grow the plant is slightly different for each. When you grow this, or any, basil for food, you do not want it to bloom until it absolutely must, so you will be pinching off the central stem when the plant is 6 weeks old and removing any buds the minute you see them. You will harvest the ends of any stem that has more than 8 leaves, removing all but the set of leaves nearest the stem to encourage quick regrowth. And you will harvest the entire plant before the seriously cold weather sets in, because that can kill the leaves.

When you are growing Siam Queen as an ornamental, you may still want to pinch back that central stem at 6 inches, just to stimulate the plant to grow more side-shoots, but other than that, you will welcome the development of buds and blooms. Deadhead the spent flowers quickly and this vigorous little plant may just set new ones before the season is over!

Either way, this basil is easy to start from seed. Sow the seeds either indoors in late winter or direct-sow in spring. To start indoors, sow about 6 to 8 weeks before last scheduled frost. The seeds will germinate in 5 to 10 days. Transplant when they have 2 sets of true leaves, spacing the plants 12 to 15 inches apart in the garden, or in your best containers.

If you are direct-sowing, wait until the soil has thoroughly warmed up in spring. Then cover the seeds with about ¼-inch of soil, and thin the young plants to 12 to 15 inches apart when they are about 2 inches tall.

Basil loves hot weather and plenty of sunshine, but it needs consistently moist, rich soil. Mulch the plants to retain moisture, and water heavily during dry spells. Enjoy Siam Queen as a flavor addition, an ornamental, or both.