Mrs. Burns' Lemon Basil

Family: Lamiaceae Herb

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Mrs. Burns' Lemon Basil to a garden.

Sunlit and unmistakably bright, Mrs.

Burns' Lemon Basil releases a vivid lemony perfume with every brush of green—uplifting, aromatic, and beautifully clean. The leaves are tender and medium-sized, with a smooth, slightly glossy surface and a gentle, upright growth habit that makes harvesting feel effortless. Ideal for fresh flavoring and fragrant finishing, this variety shines in herb blends, sauces, and quick pickles where its citrus-bright character can take center stage.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Mrs. Burns' Lemon Basil

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Mrs. Burns' Lemon Basil 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	May 4th	Jul 27th	Sep 25th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	Jul 20th	Sep 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	Jul 14th	Sep 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	Jul 8th	Sep 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	Jul 3rd	Sep 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	Jun 29th	Aug 28th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Jun 20th	Aug 19th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Jun 15th	Aug 14th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Jun 5th	Aug 4th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	May 27th	Jul 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	May 18th	Jul 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	May 1st	Jun 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Apr 6th	Jun 5th – 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

Mrs. Burns’ Lemon Basil tastes like basil turned on its headlights—citrus-bright and clean, with enough tenderness to dissolve into dressings without getting bitter. Use it late (or in cool dairy) so the lemony perfume stays vivid and doesn’t flatten under heavy heat.

Best Uses

quick chiffonade over warm pasta or sautéed vegetables for a last-second citrus lift
stir into yogurt or sour cream as a bright herb finish
liven up vinaigrettes and pan sauces with a lemony basil note
toss into quick pickles or herb brine where the fragrance stays lively

Flavor Profile

vivid lemon-citrus perfume fresh, tender basil snap clean herbal brightness lightly sweet aromatics

Kitchen Pairings

olive oil garlic butter lemon zest goat cheese chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Basil often gets downy mildew, which shows up as yellow patches on the upper leaves with a fuzzy gray growth on the underside. Improve airflow between plants, water at the soil line (not the leaves), and remove badly infected leaves right away. If it keeps spreading, use a labeled downy-mildew fungicide for basil and repeat according to the label, since lemon basil is sensitive when conditions stay humid.

How often should I water lemon basil (Ocimum basilicum) during the main growing phase?

During active growth, keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged—aim for the top 1 inch to dry slightly before watering again. In full sun, that often means watering about 1–2 times per week, but check more frequently during hot spells. Use a slow soak at the base and stop watering if the soil stays wet or plants start to wilt after watering.

How do I know when Ocimum basilicum (Mrs. Burns' lemon basil) is ready to harvest?

Start harvesting when plants are about 8–12 inches tall (roughly 50–60 days after sowing) and have multiple sets of true leaves. Take shoots by pinching or cutting just above a leaf pair, leaving at least a few nodes to keep the plant bushy. Harvest before the plant flowers, because once flowering starts the leaves typically become less tender and the aroma can decline.