African Blue Basil Live Herb Plant - Ocimum Kilimandscharicum
Ships in 2 inch container. Starter healthy plant
The African blue basil is an annual herb and cultivated as a culinary herb, condiment or spice. It is a source of essential oil for use in foods, flavors and fragrances. It is also grown as an ornamental.
Traditionally, African blue basil has been used as a medicinal plant in treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms and kidney malfunction. It is also thought to be antispasmodic, stomach ache carminative stimulant and insect repellant. The oils of basil, especially the camphor-containing oil have anti-bacterial properties. Volatile compounds produced by sweet basil have been shown to influence the composition, distribution and spore germination of some fungal populations. The volatile terpenes camphor and 1.8 cineole present in basil and other members of the Lamiacae have been suggested as agents in allelopathic reactions.
The therapeutic uses of African blue basil are many. It is brewed as an infusion and as teas to treat colds, coughs, fevers, stomach aches and cramps, vomiting, constipation, as a relaxant for nervous hysteria and for kidney and urinary complaints. Basil also apparently eases nausea. Basil acts as an expectorant and clears the throat and lungs. The juice of the leaves can be used for treatment of ear aches and fungal infection. It is also used as an insecticide and as a disinfectant.
African blue basil has a strong camphor smell because it has camphor and camphene in higher proportions. It has been used medicinally for a variety of conditions including bronchitis, the common cold, influenza, muscle pain and insect bites.
