Ocimum americanum 'Lime'

Lime basil (Ocimum americanum) is a small-leaved variety. Freshly citrus scented, this basil is mild enough for flavoring grilled fish or a shrimp salad. Pasta dishes with vegetables and chicken are delicious with the citrus basils. The plants will grow to about 2' tall and around.

Growing
To grow lime basil outdoors the daytime temperatures must be warm but not too hot, 25-35°C (80-95°F), and it must get at least 3-4 hours of sunlight a day. It can be grown with filtered light all day such as under a tree or in a bright window indoors. If it gets too hot this plant will not grow well although it is a bit more tolerant of heat than sweet basil. It is important to keep the soil moist and grow it in a large pot. The basil flowers do not need to be pinched constantly but the plant will produce more leaves if the flowers are removed frequently.

Harvesting
To harvest lime basil, cut off the top one third of the branches at the next intersection with more leaves growing. This will allow the new leaves to begin growing and become your next harvest. Never harvest more than one third of any herb plant so that it can recover from the pruning.