Thai basil

Thai basil
Early-season Thai basil
Species	Ocimum basilicum
Variety	Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora

Thai basil (Thai: โหระพา, rtgs: horapha, ISO: h̄oraphā, pronounced [hǒː.rá(ʔ).pʰāː]; Vietnamese: húng quế) is a type of basil native to Southeast Asia that has been cultivated to provide distinctive traits. Widely used throughout Southeast Asia, its flavor, described as anise- and licorice-like and slightly spicy, is more stable under high or extended cooking temperatures than that of sweet basil. Thai basil has small, narrow leaves, purple stems, and pink-purple flowers.

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) has multiple cultivars, of which Thai basil, O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora, is one variety. Thai basil itself has multiple cultivars. One cultivar commonly grown in the United States is 'Siam Queen'. Thai basil may sometimes be called anise basil or licorice basil, in reference to its anise- and licorice-like scent and taste, but it is different from the Western strains bearing these same names. Occasionally, Thai basil may also be called cinnamon basil, which is also its literal name in Vietnamese, but cinnamon basil typically refers to a separate cultivar of basil. The genus name Ocimum is derived from the Greek word meaning "to smell", which is appropriate for most members of the plant family Lamiaceae, also known as the mint family. With over 40 cultivars of basil, this abundance of flavors, aromas, and colors leads to confusion when identifying specific cultivars.