Queen Of Sheba Basil

Family: Lamiaceae Herb

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Queen Of Sheba Basil to a garden.

Fragrant as warm sun on green velvet, Queen Of Sheba Basil unfurls with an intense, sweet-anise aroma and a clean, bright flavor that lingers on the palate.

Its leaves are tender and richly textured—medium-sized, softly cupped, and beautifully uniform—ideal for fresh use where its fragrance can shine. Grow it for Italian-style pesto, flavorful finishing, and aromatic sauces, or simply let the leaves perfume your garden with every harvest.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Queen Of Sheba Basil

Location not set yet

Enter your ZIP for local crop dates

Queen Of Sheba 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	Apr 20th	Jul 13th	Sep 1st – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 13th	Jul 6th	Aug 25th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 15th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 15th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 7th	Jun 30th	Aug 19th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 3rd	Jun 26th	Aug 15th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 1st	Jun 24th	Aug 13th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 27th	Jun 19th	Aug 8th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 23rd	Jun 15th	Aug 4th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 20th	Jun 12th	Aug 1st – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 14th	Jun 6th	Jul 26th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 9th	Jun 1st	Jul 21st – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 27th	May 22nd	Jul 11th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 18th	May 13th	Jul 2nd – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 9th	May 4th	Jun 23rd – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 23rd	Apr 17th	Jun 6th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 29th	Mar 23rd	May 12th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
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

Queen Of Sheba Basil leans into that sweet-anise perfume, so it shines most when you keep heat and time short—think pesto you eat right away or oil that’s infused, not cooked to death. The tender, gently cupped leaves cloak dairy and olive oil beautifully, giving you a fragrant green finish instead of a harsh, bitter one.

Best Uses

Italian-style pesto where the fragrance stays loud—blend gently and serve soon
fresh-leaf finishing on hot pasta or beans to avoid dulling the top notes
aromatic pan-sauces and oil infusions for quick, fragrant dressings
tear-and-fold salads or burrata for a sweet, licorice-leaning basil lift

Flavor Profile

sweet-anise basil aroma bright, clean herbal flavor tender leaves with a plush, slightly creamy mouthfeel

Kitchen Pairings

Parmigiano-Reggiano pecorino romano extra-virgin olive oil garlic lemon mozzarella

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Ocimum basilicum (Queen of Sheba basil), and how can I stop it?

Basil is commonly hit by downy mildew (often yellow patches on top with gray/purple growth underneath leaves), especially in cool, humid conditions. Remove and discard affected leaves immediately, improve airflow by spacing plants, and water at the soil line (not over the foliage). If it keeps spreading, use a labeled fungicide for basil/downy mildew and avoid saving seed from infected plants.

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

During active growth (roughly weeks 2–6), keep the soil consistently evenly moist but not soggy—aim for top 1 inch of soil to dry slightly before watering again. In hot weather, this often means watering every 2–3 days, while cooler periods may require less frequent watering. Make sure containers drain well; basil in waterlogged soil develops root stress and becomes more disease-prone.

How do I know when Queen of Sheba basil is ready to harvest?

Harvest when plants are well-established and reach about 8–12 inches tall, typically around 50 days from sowing, and before flowering starts for the best leaf flavor. Take pinch/harvest by removing the top growing tips plus the top pair of leaves, which encourages branching. If you see flower buds forming, harvest sooner and more frequently to delay flowering.