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All Plants, Herbs

Lemon Basil – Over 100 Seeds

R15.00

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Over 100 Lemon Basil (Lemonette) Seeds
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Proudly non-GMO
ECO-FRIENDLY: Biodegradable packaging with resealable, reusable plastic Ziplock bag inside
Made in South Africa, for South Africa

Availability: 50 in stock

Categories: All Plants, Herbs Tags: farming, full sun, garden, herbs, leafy greens, medicinal, non gmo, pest repellant, plants, seeds, spices, summer, veggies

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Lemon Basil Lemonette Seeds (Heirloom & Non-GMO) – Over 100 Seeds

Infuse your kitchen garden with a burst of bright, citrusy fragrance with our premium Lemon Basil Lemonette seeds (Ocimum basilicum var. citriodorum).

A highly prized variety among South African culinary gardeners, Lemon basil perfectly blends the deep, sweet undercurrents of traditional basil with a sharp, authentic lemon aroma.

It is an exceptionally fast-growing, productive annual herb that thrives in our warm, sun-drenched summers.

Our heirloom, non-GMO Lemon Basil seeds boast excellent germination rates and are highly versatile.

Whether you are planting an aromatic border in your vegetable patch, building a dedicated kitchen herb garden, or growing fresh garnishes in patio containers, this resilient variety delivers a continuous harvest of tender, fragrant leaves.

Why Choose Our Lemon Basil Lemonette Seeds?

Unmistakable Citrus Aroma: Packed with natural essential oils that release a delightful lemon-tinged fragrance whenever the leaves are brushed or crushed.
Culinary Powerhouse: The perfect secret ingredient to elevate seafood dishes, chicken stir-fries, summer salads, herbal teas, and local citrus-infused mocktails.
Heirloom & Non-GMO: 100% open-pollinated, pure seeds harvested naturally without any genetic modifications.
Over 100 Seeds Per Pack: Every packet contains over 100 seeds, providing fantastic value so you can grow a dense, bushy herb supply.
Pollinator Friendly: If allowed to flower, the elegant spikes of small white blossoms become an absolute magnet for bees and other beneficial garden pollinators.

Quick Growing Guide for South Africa

Sowing Season: Spring to Summer (September to December) once all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently warm.
Position: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily).
Soil: Rich, fertile, well-draining soil. Basil loves nutrients but hates sitting in waterlogged soil.
Sowing Depth: Sow shallowly, about 3 mm to 5 mm deep. Cover lightly with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite.
Germination: Fast and rewarding, typically sprouting within 5 to 10 days in warm conditions.
Care Tip: Always pinch out the top growing tips once the plant reaches 15 cm tall. This prevents leggy growth and encourages a beautifully bushy, multi-stemmed plant.

Product Specifications

Seed Count: Over 100 seeds per pack

Variety: Lemon Basil (Lemonette)

Plant Type: Aromatic Summer Annual Herb

Planting Type: Open-pollinated heirloom

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How to Grow Lemon Basil from Seed

How to Grow Basil from Seed: The Complete South African Guide

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is the ultimate summer herb. Whether you are growing classic Sweet Basil or the citrusy Lemonette Lemon Basil, raising this aromatic plant from seed is incredibly fast, simple, and rewarding.

Basil is a true sun-lover that thrives in the warm South African climate. This step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know to successfully sprout, transplant, and care for a lush, bushy basil harvest at home.

Quick Growing Facts

Sowing Time: Spring and summer (September to December)
Germination Time: 5 to 10 days
Sunlight Requirements: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily)
Soil Preference: Rich, fertile, nutrient-dense, and well-draining soil
Time to Harvest: 60 to 70 days from sowing

Step-by-Step Seed Sowing Guide

Basil seeds love warmth and will rot if sown into cold, waterlogged spring soil.

For the highest success rates, start your seeds indoors or on a warm patio in seedling trays before moving them out into the garden.

Step 1: Prepare Your Seedling Trays

Fill standard seedling trays or small biodegradable pots with a premium, fine-textured seed-starting mix.

Mist the soil thoroughly with a spray bottle so it is evenly damp but not soggy.

Step 2: Sow the Seeds Correctly

Place 2 to 3 basil seeds in each seedling cell.

Sowing Depth: Cover the seeds very lightly with about 3 mm to 5 mm of fine compost or vermiculite. Basil seeds need a little bit of light to trigger germination, so do not bury them deeply.

Step 3: Maintain Warmth and Humidity

Cover your tray with a clear plastic dome or a sheet of plastic cling wrap to trap moisture and create a mini-greenhouse environment.

Place the tray in a warm room (ideally between 20°C and 25°C) that receives plenty of bright, indirect light.

Mist the soil gently whenever the surface begins to feel dry.

Step 4: Thin Your Seedlings

Remove the plastic cover completely as soon as the first green loops pop out of the soil (usually within a week).

Once the seedlings grow their first set of true, shiny leaves, use a small pair of scissors to snip away the weaker seedlings at the soil line, leaving only the single strongest basil plant per cell.

Transplanting into the Garden or Large Pots

Your young basil plants are ready to move to their permanent home outdoors when they reach about 10 cm in height and have developed at least two full sets of true leaves.

Hardening Off

Spend 5 to 7 days gradually acclimating the trays to outdoor conditions.

Place them in a sheltered outdoor spot for a few hours each morning, slowly increasing their exposure to full sun and wind.

Choosing the Perfect Spot

Sunlight: Select a position that receives full morning sun.

In scorching hot inland regions (like the Highveld or Karoo), basil appreciates a little bit of light afternoon shade to keep the leaves from wilting.

Soil: Mix plenty of rich organic compost into your garden bed before planting. If planting in containers, use a premium potting mix and ensure the pot has excellent drainage holes.

Spacing: Plant your basil seedlings 20 cm to 30 cm apart to allow for proper air circulation, which prevents fungal leaf diseases.

Ongoing Care: How to Get a Bushy Harvest

The secret to a massive, continuous harvest of basil is regular pruning and correct harvesting techniques.

Watering: Basil loves water but hates “wet feet.” Water deeply at the base of the plant whenever the top 3 cm of soil feels dry.

Avoid splashing water onto the leaves, as wet foliage encourages fungal spots.

Feeding: Because you regularly harvest the leaves, basil is a hungry plant. Feed it every 2 to 3 weeks with an organic, nitrogen-rich liquid seaweed or fish emulsion fertilizer to stimulate fresh foliage.

The Pinching Trick (Crucial): Never let your basil grow into a single, tall stem. When your plant reaches about 15 cm tall, use your fingers to pinch off the very top central growing tip right above a leaf node.

This forces the plant to branch out into two new stems. Keep pinching back the tips of every branch throughout summer for an incredibly dense, bushy plant.

Remove Flowers Instantly: As summer peaks, basil will try to produce spikes of white flowers. Pinch these flower buds off immediately.

If allowed to flower, the plant stops producing new leaves, and the existing foliage turns bitter.

Lemon Basil Medicinal / Nutritional Uses

Lemon Basil Medicinal and Nutritional Uses: Herbs for Natural Wellness

Lemon Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. citriodorum), especially our aromatic Lemonette variety, is celebrated by chefs for adding a refreshing, zesty twist to summer dishes.

However, this fast-growing annual is far more than a kitchen staple.

Like its close relative Sweet Basil, Lemon Basil is packed with potent plant compounds, essential oils, and vital nutrients that have been used in traditional wellness practices for centuries.

This comprehensive guide serves as an informative resource, highlighting the nutritional value, active compounds, and traditional medicinal uses of Lemon Basil.

Key Nutritional Benefits of Lemon Basil

Integrating raw or freshly cooked lemon basil into a daily diet provides an array of essential vitamins and minerals that support overall health:

Vitamin K: Crucial for supporting healthy blood clotting and maintaining strong bone density.

Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene): A powerful antioxidant essential for clear vision, immune health, and cellular repair.

Vitamin C: Boosts natural immune function and assists in collagen production for healthy skin.

Iron and Calcium: Supports healthy oxygen transport in the blood and aids in maintaining skeletal strength.

Antioxidants: Rich in polyphenols and flavonoids that protect cells from oxidative stress and environmental damage.

Active Compounds: The Power of Citrus Essential Oils

The primary reason Lemon Basil possesses its distinct, mouth-watering citrus fragrance is a unique combination of natural essential oils found within its leaves:

Citral and Limonene: These are the exact organic compounds found in lemons and limes. They provide the signature citrus aroma and boast strong natural antimicrobial and mood-elevating properties.

Eugenol: A highly therapeutic compound shared with cloves and traditional basil, recognized for its natural anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving qualities.

Linalool: A calming aromatic compound that helps reduce stress and promotes a sense of relaxation.

Top Medicinal Uses for Lemon Basil

1. Digestive Relief and Soothing Cramps

Lemon Basil is an excellent carminative herb, meaning it helps settle the digestive system.

Drinking a warm cup of lemon basil tea after meals can help relieve bloating, ease stomach cramps, reduce gas, and stimulate healthy digestion.

The natural antispasmodic properties help relax the muscles of the stomach lining.

2. Stress Alleviation and Mental Clarity

In traditional aromatherapy and herbalism, the bright, citrusy scent of lemon basil is used to uplift the mood and combat mental fatigue.

The combination of citral and linalool helps soothe the nervous system, reduce anxiety levels, and improve focus, making it a wonderful natural remedy for stressful days.

3. Respiratory and Immune Support

When brewed into a warm infusion, lemon basil acts as a mild expectorant.

The antimicrobial essential oils help clear congestion in the throat and lungs, making it a comforting traditional drink to ease coughs, soothe sore throats, and fight off early symptoms of the common cold.

4. Natural Anti-Inflammatory Action

The eugenol and flavonoids present in the leaves work together to block inflammatory enzymes in the body.

Regular consumption of lemon basil can help ease inflammatory conditions, such as mild joint pain or systemic oxidative stress.

5. Insect Repellent and Topical Relief

The heavy citrus aroma of citral makes lemon basil a highly effective, all-natural insect repellent.

Crushing the fresh leaves releases the oils, which can be rubbed onto the skin to deter mosquitoes.

If you do get bitten, applying the crushed leaf juice directly to the skin helps soothe localized itching and reduces swelling.

How to Make a Refreshing Medicinal Tea

You can easily harness the therapeutic benefits of Lemonette basil at home with a fresh herbal brew:

Gently bruise 4 to 5 fresh lemon basil leaves to release the essential oils.
Place the leaves into a cup and pour over boiling water.
Cover the mug with a saucer for 5 to 7 minutes to prevent the volatile steam and essential oils from escaping.
Remove the cover, strain the leaves, and enjoy warm or iced.
Add a drop of raw local honey for extra respiratory throat comfort.

Disclaimer

This guide is intended for educational purposes only. While lemon basil is completely safe for standard culinary enjoyment, you should always consult a healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal extracts or essential oils for specific medicinal treatments, especially if pregnant or nursing.

Lemon Basil Growing Guide

Lemon Basil Growing Guide: The Complete South African Guide

Lemon Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. citriodorum), particularly our premium Lemonette variety, is one of the most rewarding annual herbs you can grow.

Combining the lush, rapid growth of traditional basil with a sharp, refreshing citrus fragrance, it is a favourite for summer cooking, herbal teas, and patio containers.

Because basil loves heat and sunshine, it performs exceptionally well in our climate. This comprehensive guide covers everything your customers need to know to successfully plant, grow, and harvest lemon basil at home.

Quick Plant Facts

Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum var. citriodorum

Common Names: Lemonette Basil, Citrus Basil

Plant Type: Warm-season annual herb

Sun Exposure: Full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours of direct daily sunlight)

Soil Type: Rich, fertile, loamy, and sharply draining soil

Time to Harvest: 60 to 70 days from seed

Sowing and Planting

Lemon basil is highly sensitive to cold weather and frost. For the absolute best results, seeds should be sown when temperatures are consistently warm.

Sowing Windows

Spring to Summer (September to December): Plant across all South African regions once the threat of late spring frost has completely passed and soil temperatures have warmed up thoroughly.

Sowing from Seed

Prepare seed trays: Fill your seedling trays with a fine, high-quality, pre-moistened seed-starting mix.

Sow shallowly: Place 2 to 3 seeds per cell, covering them very lightly with only 3 mm to 5 mm of fine compost or vermiculite.

Basil seeds need a little bit of light to trigger germination, so do not bury them deeply.

Water gently: Mist the surface using a spray bottle. Avoid heavy watering, which can wash the tiny seeds away or bury them too deep.

Germination: Keep the trays in a warm, bright spot (ideally between 20°C and 25°C). Sprouts will emerge rapidly within 5 to 10 days.

Thin seedlings: Once the sprouts develop their first set of true leaves, use a small pair of scissors to snip away the weaker seedlings, leaving only the single strongest plant per cell.

Growing in Pots and Containers

Lemon basil thrives on warm balconies, sunny patios, and kitchen windowsills.

Use a pot at least 20 cm wide and deep with excellent drainage holes.

Use a premium, nutrient-rich potting soil mixed with a handful of perlite to ensure fast drainage.

Ongoing Care and Maintenance

The secret to keeping lemon basil productive all summer is keeping its roots happy and pruning regularly.

Sunlight

Place your lemon basil in a location that receives full morning sun.

In blistering hot inland regions like the Highveld or Karoo, the plant will appreciate light afternoon shade to protect its tender leaves from wilting or scorching.

Watering

Deep watering: Water deeply at the base of the plant whenever the top 3 cm of soil feels completely dry.

Avoid wet leaves: Never splash water directly onto the leaves or water late in the evening, as wet foliage triggers fungal leaf diseases like downy mildew.

Soil and Feeding

Heavy feeders: Basil uses a lot of energy to produce its aromatic leaves. Mix plenty of organic compost into the garden bed before transplanting.

Fertilizer: Feed your lemon basil every 2 to 3 weeks with an organic, nitrogen-rich liquid seaweed or fish emulsion fertilizer to stimulate continuous flush after flush of fresh foliage.

The Pinching Trick for Bushy Growth

Never let your basil grow into a single, tall, leggy stem.

The Technique: When your young plant reaches about 15 cm tall, use your fingers to pinch off the very top central growing tip right above a set of leaves.

The Result: This forces the plant to branch out into two new stems. Repeat this pinching process on the side branches throughout the summer to create a highly dense, compact, and bushy herb bush.

Remove Flowers: Pinch off any emerging flower spikes instantly. If the plant is allowed to flower, it stops producing new leaves and the existing foliage develops a bitter flavor.

Harvesting Lemonette Basil

You can begin harvesting individual leaves as soon as the plant is roughly 15 cm to 20 cm tall.

How to pick: Always harvest the leaves from the top down, snapping off the stem right above a leaf node to encourage further branching.

Avoid stripping all the lower leaves off the main stem.

Best timing: Harvest your leaves in the morning after the dew dries but before the intense midday sun hits. This is when the citrus essential oils are at their highest concentration.

Lemon Basil Other Names

Lemon Basil: Names, Varieties, and Culinary Dialects

Lemon Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. citriodorum), celebrated in our catalog as the vibrant Lemonette variety, is famous for its mouth-watering fusion of deep basil undertones and sharp citrus top notes.

Because this aromatic annual is loved across global culinary traditions, it goes by many different names depending on the region, country, and botanical classification.

This guide clears up the confusion and highlights the names we might encounter in recipe books and gardening guides.

The Common and Regional Names

1. Citrus Basil / Limon Basil

Where it is used: Global standard English.

The Context: These are simple, descriptive alternate names used interchangeably with Lemon Basil. They highlight the heavy presence of citral and limonene essential oils in the leaves, which give the plant its distinctive, zesty fragrance.

2. Kemangi / Indonesian Basil

Where it is used: Indonesia and Southeast Asian culinary markets.

The Context: In Indonesian cuisine, lemon basil is natively known as Kemangi. It is a crucial, fresh culinary component used raw in salad platters (lalab), wrapped inside banana leaves with fish (pepes), or dropped into aromatic soups.

3. Lao Basil / Pak Maengkiang

Where it is used: Laos and Thailand.

The Context: Known locally in Laos as Pak Maengkiang, this specific herb is a foundational ingredient in traditional stews (or lam) and curries. It differentiates itself sharply on Southeast Asian menus from the sweet or anise-heavy flavours of Holy Basil and Thai Basil.

4. Hoary Basil

Where it is used: Botanical texts and traditional Asian agricultural trade.

The Context: This is an older, formal English common name for the citriodorum variety. It was called “hoary” due to the very fine, soft, whitish hairs that can sometimes appear on the flower spikes and stems as the plant matures.

Botanical Names vs. Similar Fragrant Basils

Shoppers looking for citrus-scented herbs online frequently mix up botanical classifications.

Ocimum basilicum var. citriodorum (True Lemon Basil)

Key Characteristics: This is the exact scientific name for our Lemonette seeds. It is a natural hybrid cross between sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) and American basil (Ocimum americanum).

It features bright green, slightly narrow leaves and a sharp, clean, genuine lemon juice fragrance.

Lime Basil (Ocimum americanum)

Key Characteristics: Often confused with lemon basil, lime basil is a distinct species. While it shares a similar growth habit and look, its leaves emit a noticeably deeper, sweet, zesty lime peel aroma rather than the bright, sharp notes of lemon.

Thai Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora)

Key Characteristics: Another warm-season favourite, but with a completely different flavour profile. Thai Basil features distinctive purple stems and dark purple flower spikes.

Its leaves carry a pungent, spicy licorice and aniseed flavour, lacking any citrus notes.

Where Does the Name “Lemonette” Come From?

In the seed trade, Lemonette is a highly popular selection name given to specialized heirloom cultivars of lemon basil.

The name emphasizes a plant bred specifically for superior leaf production, high essential oil content, and a compact, bushy growth habit that is perfectly tailored for modern kitchen gardens and container planting.