Where to buy seeds
Some links are affiliate links — Verdantly may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
Piedmont Basil is a 2025 AAS award winner that brings disease resistance and longevity to the herb garden where traditional basil falls short. This annual cultivar grows into a dense, bushy mound 18 to 20 inches tall with dark green, shiny leaves up to 3 inches long, reaching maturity in 60 to 69 days. What truly sets it apart is its proven resistance to Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, and Fusarium, giving you weeks of extra harvests compared to conventional varieties while maintaining the strong aroma and classic basil flavor gardeners crave.
Full Sun
Moderate
1-11
20in H x 96in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
Piedmont earned its 2025 AAS recognition for combining the dense, upright growth habit basil lovers expect with exceptional disease resistance that extends the harvest season significantly. The shiny, dark green leaves reach up to 3 inches long and emerge from a plant with a strong, characteristic aroma and true basil flavor. In containers or garden beds, it performs reliably across hardiness zones 1 through 11, blooming with showy flowers from April through May that draw butterflies and other pollinators.
Piedmont Basil serves as a productive culinary herb for fresh harvesting throughout the growing season. The large, dark green leaves work beautifully in pesto, are excellent torn fresh into salads and pasta dishes, and can be used to infuse oils and vinegars. Its dense growth habit also makes it suitable as a small hedge or edging plant in edible landscapes.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date in a seed-starting mix kept consistently moist. Germinate at temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit; seedlings should emerge within 5 to 10 days. Provide bright light once sprouted to prevent leggy growth.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil temperatures have warmed to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space them 12 to 18 inches apart in full sun.
Direct sow seeds outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed to 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Scatter seeds on the soil surface or press lightly into place; do not bury.
Begin harvesting leaves once the plant reaches 6 inches tall, typically around 60 to 69 days from sowing. Pinch off individual leaves or small sprigs from the top of the plant, which encourages more branching below. Harvest in the morning after dew has dried for the strongest flavor and aroma. Continue harvesting throughout the season by removing no more than one-third of the plant at a time to keep it productive.
Pinch off the top 1/4 inch of new growth regularly to encourage a denser, bushier plant with more lateral branches. Remove flower buds as they form if you want to maximize leaf production; allowing flowers to set seed redirects energy away from foliage. This dense, upright cultivar responds well to consistent pinching throughout the season.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.