Genovese

Genovese is the classic Italian sweet basil originating from the Liguria region around Genoa, and it is the definitive basil for authentic pesto alla Genovese. It has been cultivated in Italian kitchen gardens for generations and is the most widely grown culinary basil in the world. Genovese produces large, deep green, slightly cupped leaves on upright plants with a robust, sweet flavor and strong clove-anise aroma prized in Mediterranean cooking. It is an open-pollinated variety that grows vigorously in warm weather and responds well to regular pinching, which encourages bushy growth and delays flowering. Genovese remains the standard against which other culinary basils are measured for pesto, sauces, and fresh use.