HerbBasil
Licorice Basil
Licorice Basil is a sweet basil variety native to Asian regions, prized for its distinctive anise-like flavor and striking appearance. Known as Persian Basil or Anise Basil, this ancient herb has been a cornerstone of Iranian cuisine for centuries, where it's served fresh alongside meals. The plant produces bright green leaves with purple accents and edible flowers, reaching harvestable maturity in 50 to 59 days. Hardy in zones 4-11 and thriving in full sun, it grows as a compact annual that adapts beautifully to containers, making it accessible to gardeners everywhere.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
High
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
Spacing
6
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
High
Zones
4-11
Size
?in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The real draw here is the balance of visual drama and flavor complexity. Bright green leaves blushed with purple create striking contrast in both garden beds and containers, while the leaves deliver a strong but genuinely pleasant licorice-anise character that distinguishes this basil from sweeter varieties. The edible flowers add another dimension, and because it descends from a centuries-old tradition of fresh herb service in Iranian kitchens, growing it connects you to an agricultural lineage that treats herbs as essential companions to food rather than mere garnishes.
Common Uses
This basil excels when used fresh, either as a bright green accompaniment to meals in the Iranian tradition or integrated into Indian and Mediterranean dishes where its licorice-anise notes add complexity. The edible flowers can garnish salads or beverages, and the leaves work well in teas, infusions, or as a finishing herb where their distinctive flavor won't be overwhelmed by cooking. The oils within the plant suggest traditional medicinal applications, though fresh culinary use is where most home gardeners will find the greatest satisfaction.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds shallowly on moist seed starting mix at 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light from a grow light or sunny window once sprouted. Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days before transplanting.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime lows stay above 50 degrees. Space plants 6-12 inches apart. Water gently at the base to settle soil around roots.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds into garden soil after the last frost date when soil reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit, spacing seeds 6 inches apart and thinning to final spacing of 6-12 inches once seedlings are 2-3 inches tall.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting when plants reach 6-8 inches tall, which typically occurs around 50-59 days from transplanting (though some sources indicate up to 72 days under cooler conditions). Pinch or cut off the top 1-2 inches of stems, harvesting from the top of the plant downward to encourage branching. Harvest leaves in the morning after dew dries but before heat peaks, when the plant's oils are most concentrated. Continue harvesting throughout the season; the more you pick, the bushier the plant becomes. Just before frost arrives, cut the entire plant back hard to maximize the final flush of leaves.
Pruning
Pinch off the top inch of growing shoots regularly once plants are 6 inches tall to encourage branching and bushier growth. Remove flower buds as they form if your priority is leaf production, though allowing selective flowers to remain provides visual interest and edible garnish. Prune frequently and lightly throughout the season rather than taking large cuttings at once; this encourages continuous fresh leaf development and extends the harvest window.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Ocimum basilicum var. 'licorice'
Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Native Status
L48 (I)HI (I)PR (I)
History & Origin
“Licorice Basil traces its roots to various Asian regions, where it became woven into the fabric of Iranian cuisine as a staple fresh green served alongside countless dishes. This ancient herb represents a specific branch of the extensive basil family, one that was cultivated and preserved across generations because its distinctive flavor profile filled a particular culinary need. The fact that seed companies now catalog it as both a heirloom and an open-pollinated variety reflects the work of gardeners and seed savers who maintained this lineage, ensuring that the connection between herb gardens and Iranian tables remains unbroken.”