Italian Classic Basil - Seeds from Italy. This sweet Genovese basil is our most popular variety in the USA. It is the same strain that made pesto famous worldwide. (Our Italian supplier, Franchi Seeds, calls it Italian Classic rather than Genovese because the region of Genoa got an Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) trademark that limits the use of the name Genovese to basil grown in a certain area of Liguria; however, the seed is grown elsewhere in Italy and so cannot have the name Genovese within Italy. ) Whatever this basil is called, it's the best. This is the classic basil used for sauces, pesto, pizza, and just about everything else. Leaves are soft and fragrant with a delicious taste. The seed count in a pack is enormous -- about 3000 seeds. Why so much seed? Because in Italy, people like to pick basil very young, so they seed it repeatedly and just pull the entire plants when they are about 5-6 inches tall. In the U.S., most people grow a few plants and pick from them all summer long, so a packet of seeds lasts a long time. Basil seed, if kept cool and dry (but not in the refrigerator) will remain viable for up to 5 years. Try one of our seed storage tins for keeping extra seed. Basil has approximately 600-650 seeds per gram. FUSARIUM FREE - TESTED. To see our growing guide for basil, click here.
