Within the wide variety of varieties, various perennial basils can be found. However, this is not accompanied by any winter hardiness, because no royal herb can withstand frosty temperatures for a long period of time. You can find out here how multi-year cultivation is still successful.
How to cultivate basil as a perennial?
You can plant perennial basil in a pot and place it in a sunny location at 15-20 degrees Celsius during the winter, such as the south side of a windowsill or a heated winter garden. Popular perennial basil varieties include 'Wild Pupur', 'Garden Basil', 'Gorbachev', 'African Tree Basil' and 'African Green'.
How to enjoy a basil plant for several years
If you want to grow royal herb for several years, we recommend planting it in a pot. This form of cultivation provides the mobility required to relocate the herb plant to winter quarters. Alternatively, you can place the pot in the ground in the garden so that it can be easily removed at the right time. This is how wintering works:
- If temperatures fall permanently below 10 degrees Celsius, basil moves
- extensive pruning is not necessary
- the winter quarters are sunny and warm, at 15 to 20 degrees Celsius
- continue watering only when the substrate surface has dried
- fertilize organically and liquidly every 4 to 6 weeks
The windowsill on the south side of the house is therefore recommended as an excellent location for perennial basil. A sunlit, heated winter garden is also an option. Under the conditions mentioned, you will continue to harvest fresh basil during the cold season, so you do not have to rely on preserving the aromatic flowers and leaves.
The best perennial basil varieties
To make the effort of overwintering basil worthwhile, the variety should be selected carefully. The following breeds are particularly recommended:
- ‘Wild Pupur’ (Ocimum canum x basilicum)
- 'Garden basil' (Ocimum kilimanscharicum x basilicum)
- Russian shrub basil 'Gorbachow' (Ocimum x basilicum 'Gorbachow')
- ‘African tree basil’ (Ocimum gratissium x suave)
- Green-leaved African basil 'African Green' (Ocimum kilimanscharicum basilicum)
The varieties of popular Thai basil are also suitable for perennial cultivation. Although the exotic herb plant comes from the warm regions of Asia, its leaves are remarkably sturdy.
Tips & Tricks
Perennial basil usually comes from a cross between different varieties. For pure propagation, this means that the only option is breeding with cuttings. When you collect seeds for sowing, it's a guessing game as to which attributes of the parent and grandparent plants will prevail.
