prev
|
next
index for this volume
|
New Crops News
|
NewCROPS home page
New Crops News, Spring 1994, vol. 4 no. 1
New Basils
'Sweet Dani', a new true-breeding basil with a very strong
fresh lemon aroma, was just announced by Jim Simon and Mario Morales of the
Purdue New Crops Center. The new cultivar is vigorous and tall with large
leaves and high essential oils (greater than 1% dry weight) and a high
concentration of citral (70-75% of the total essential oil). The
attractive plant form, light green leaves, small white flowers, and intense
lemon aroma should provide a new ornamental basil for home gardens. In
addition 'Sweet Dani' has potential as a new culinary basil for the
herb industry. The plant can be used fresh in floral arrangements or dried in
potpourris. The fresh or dry leaves can be used alone or in combination with
other herbs for herbal tea mixes.
A new chemotype of basil from Africa identified by Jim Simon and Denys Charles
appears promising as a natural source of geraniol. This unique plant is a tree
type of African basil, that can reach up to 8' in height. Selections contain
significant concentrations of geraniol, as high as 88% of essential oils from
leaves and flowers. Typically this species contains high amounts of eugenol or
thymol, not geraniol. Studies are underway to obtain true breeding types
adapted to the Midwest.