Basil is often used in Thai and Italian cooking.
Thai basil is a type of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) native to southeast Asia. Two cultivars of O. basilicum, Horaphaand Siam Queen, are commonly referred to as Thai basil and are distinctive for their purple flowers and sweet, licorice-like fragrance. The herbs are annuals and grow quickly, according to the Clemson Cooperative Extension website. Does this Spark an idea?
Size
Thai basil grows to an average height of 24 inches. Basil seedlings are usually planted in the ground in June -- the plants are very cold-sensitive -- and the leaves are ready to be harvested in late summer or early fall. If harvest happens in the middle of September, it can be calculated that the plants grow an average of 8 inches per month from planting to harvest. Basil plants die at the first frost of fall.
Culture
Thai basil grows best when it is properly cultivated. Basil thrives in full sunlight, save in the hottest climates -- U.S. Department of Agriculture growing zones 10 and 11 -- where it will benefit from some light afternoon shade. The herb needs moist but well draining soil and protection from late or early frosts in the form of a thick layer of mulch.
Problems
Japanese beetles are a big problem in areas where they are common. These hungry bugs can completely skeletonize a basil plant, chewing out the tenderest part of the valuable leaves and leaving only the veins behind. Inspect your plants each morning and pluck off the bugs by hand. Drop them in a bucket of soapy water to drown them.
Considerations
It is the foliage of basil that is used for flavoring. For this reason, a good Thai basil plant is one that is full and bushy rather than tall and spindly. Fast growth does not always mean good growth, as the plants can become thin and leggy. To encourage fuller growth, pinch off the flower buds as soon as they form. If you are growing basil for ornamental reasons, let the flowers develop -- they are bright purple in color and stand out attractively against the true green leaves.
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