'Siracusa' Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Origin: Siracusa, Sicily, Italy

Improvement status: Landrace

Seeds per packet: ~50

Germination tested 11/2024: 85%

Life cycle: Annual

'Siracusa' is an excellent Genovese-style basil with a strong, sweet scent. Collected in Sicily by our friend Lane Selman of the Culinary Breeding Network and Oregon State University — who received it folded in a white paper envelope from a small garden store in Siracusa — it has in recent years become increasingly popular in the US seed trade due to its productivity and deliciousness.

This seed was grown by our friends at Adaptive Seeds in Sweet Home, Oregon.

GROWING TIPS: Start inside well before last frost. Surface sow or just barely cover seeds with growing medium. Basil germinates best in warm soil (at least 70 degrees F). Once the slow-growing seedlings begin to get some height, be sure to avoid over-watering to prevent damping off. Give plants 8 to 12" inches of space in the garden.