Flowerspike of a red-leafed basil. Bergianska trädgården, Stockholm, Sweden. Planted. 2011-07-13.

Red- and greenleafed basils. Bergianska trädgården, Stockholm, Sweden. Planted. 2011-07-13.

Cultivars, top row: 'Purple Ruffles', 'Spicy Globe', 'Genovese', 'Mammoth', Greek, Thai, holy basil. Bottom row: 'Red Rubin', red, cinnamon, lime, lemon, Thai, Lemon and vanilla. Some of these are tenuiflorum, minimum and americanum. Helsinki, Finland. Picked. 2006-09-18.

'Genoveser'. Flowering tops. Botanical garden Kumpula, Helsinki, Finland. Planted. 2006-09-09.

Fresh horapha leaf (= thai basil). Annala, Helsinki, Finland. Storebought. 2004-11-27.

A bundle of fresh horapha leaf (= thai basil). Annala, Helsinki, Finland. Storebought. 2004-11-27.

'Purple Ruffles'. Flowering plant. Annala, Helsinki, Finland. Planted. 2001-07-19.

Thai basil, flowering plant. You know you shouldn't let your basil flower? Ahem. Annala, Helsinki, Finland. Planted. 1999-07-17.

Thai basil, flowering tops. Annala, Helsinki, Finland. Planted. 1999-07-17.