Cinnamon

Family: Lamiaceae Herb

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Cinnamon to a garden.

Fragrant as a warm spice trunk—Cinnamon Basil releases a cinnamon-sweet perfume the moment you brush its leaves, with a gentle herbal backbone and a softly peppery lift.

The foliage is tender and richly textured, forming a lush, upright mound of glossy leaves that hold their character beautifully in fresh use and when warmed. Grow Cinnamon Basil for bold, aromatic flavor in herb-forward dishes, pesto-style sauces, and fragrant finishing touches—an easy way to perfume your garden and your table with a distinctive, cinnamon-kissed signature.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Upright

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Cinnamon Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Apr 20th	Jul 13th	Sep 11th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 13th	Jul 6th	Sep 4th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 7th	Jun 30th	Aug 29th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 1st	Jun 24th	Aug 23rd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 27th	Jun 19th	Aug 18th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 23rd	Jun 15th	Aug 14th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 20th	Jun 12th	Aug 11th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 14th	Jun 6th	Aug 5th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 9th	Jun 1st	Jul 31st – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 27th	May 22nd	Jul 21st – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 18th	May 13th	Jul 12th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 9th	May 4th	Jul 3rd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 23rd	Apr 17th	Jun 16th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 29th	Mar 23rd	May 22nd – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 30th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	60
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Cinnamon Basil tastes like someone cracked open a warm spice drawer and sprinkled it with fresh garden greens—the payoff is immediate aromatics, not heavy cook-time flavor. Treat it like a finishing herb (or add late) so the cinnamon note stays bright instead of turning flat under long heat.

Best Uses

quick-blend pesto-style sauces where it can perfume the oil before it dulls
chopped fresh over warm tomatoes or grilled peaches for aromatic lift
steeping in syrups or gentle vinegars for a fragrant, not-too-spicy sweetness
finishing torn leaves onto hot grains, roasted chicken, or lamb just off the heat

Flavor Profile

cinnamon-sweet top note gentle herbal backbone softly peppery, warm finish tender, glossy leaf texture

Kitchen Pairings

olive oil garlic lemon honey parmesan chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease commonly affects Ocimum basilicum (cinnamon basil), and how can I manage it?

Cinnamon basil is prone to downy mildew (yellow patches on leaves with gray-purple growth on the underside) in humid weather. Remove and discard infected leaves, improve airflow with wider spacing, and water the soil directly so foliage stays dry. If it keeps recurring, rotate away from basils and apply a copper-based fungicide label-approved for basil when you first see symptoms.

How often should I water Ocimum basilicum during the main growing phase?

During active leaf growth, keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—about 1 inch (2.5 cm) per week total, adjusted for heat and container size. Water when the top 1 inch of soil feels dry, and avoid frequent shallow watering that encourages stressed, disease-prone plants. Mulch around the base helps stabilize moisture for this fast-growing basil.

How do I know when cinnamon basil is ready to harvest?

Start harvesting once plants are about 8–10 inches tall (typically around 60 days), with multiple sets of true leaves. Harvest by cutting above a leaf pair so the plant can branch, and take lighter harvests early on, then more frequently as the canopy fills in. Stop major harvests when flowering begins if you want maximum leaf quality and cinnamon-sweet aroma.