Royal, the king of aromatics!

Organic Basil Fresh growing organic basil in horizontal format basil plant stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

The royal (Ocimum basilicum) is the aromatic that is not missing from any balcony, baxe, flowerbed and courtyard of a church in all of Greece. The word "royal" comes from the Greek word "king", which means "king" and means Jesus Christ. According to legend, its name was given as it sprouted at the spot where Constantine the Great and his mother St. Helen discovered the Holy Cross.

Its origin is from India and Iran and today it is cultivated in many parts of the world.

red ladybug perched on green leaf in close up photography during daytime

Description

Basil is an annual, aromatic and herbaceous plant. Its leaves vary in shape and color depending on the species. The flowers are white and form an extreme spikelet, which should be cut to help the growth of foliage. It blooms from spring to summer.

There are many varieties and most often in Greece we find the following:

  • Royal curly, a plant of medium growth in the shape of a ball. Its leaves are small with light green color.
  • Basil the broadleaf, a plant with large dark green leaves. Its height reaches about 2 meters.
  • Royal red, a plant of medium growth with purple-red leaves.
  • Basil Genovese, a plant of medium growth with light green leaves. It is suitable for pesto sauce.
Planting in the garden, hands in green gloves planting basil into flowerbed Gardening in herbal garden. basil plant stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Care

It grows well in bright places, avoiding prolonged exposure to the summer sun. Its soil must be kept moist, because excessive watering causes yellowing of the leaves and rot of the roots. During flowering, we remove the buds to maintain the shape of the plant and its vigor.

Blossom basil, basil leaves with flowers Blossom basil, basil leaves with flowers. Green background with growth basil basil plant stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Ingredients of basil

Basil contains vitamin C and folic acid. It contains calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu). Its main ingredient is estragole, with many medicinal properties. Its aroma is due to the essential oils it contains. Common varieties contain large amounts of linalool and methylchavicol.

bottle of basil essential oil with fresh basil Brown glass bottle of basil essential oil with fresh green basil leaves on blue wooden background basil plant stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Uses of basil

It is used as an herb, as it is believed to be a good diuretic, soothes stomach aches and headaches, while in ancient times, it was used as a patch, after the bite of an insect, scorpion or even a snake. In Mediterranean cuisine it has prevailed giving a strong aroma and taste to sauces and salads.

Other uses for basil include:

  • as a drink helps digestion and soothes the intestine.
  • as an essential oil relieves cough, fights stress and helps concentration. It has antiseptic and expectorant properties.
  • as an extract acts beneficially in cases of stomatitis and cold sores. Recommended for migraines, headaches, nausea and nausea of ​​pregnancy.

You will find more uses of basil in the following article:

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