DESCRIPTION

Basil, a member of the mint family, is native to India, where it has long been considered a sacred herb; if not also indigenous to Iran and Africa, it has grown
there for so long that its origins are lost in the mists of time. Sweet basil is the most common culinary type today, but there are many subspecies and hybrids. A
sweet basil plant can be as tall as 2 feet or more; it has dark green, smooth, oval leaves and is strongly aromatic, with an herbaceous, anise-like fragrance and undertones of mint; the leaves have a peppery anise taste, again with notes of mint as well as of cloves.