'Togolese' Hoary Basil

Ocimum americanum Origin: Togo Improvement status: Landrace Seeds per packet: ~25 Germination tested 12/2024: 67% Life cycle: Annual This unassuming little West African basil looks like most any other small-leafed basil, especially other hoary basils and tulsi basils — but just one sniff of its fragrant leaves makes clear that this Togolese basil is something entirely unique and special. It has a distinctly fruity fragrance, falling (to this farmer's nose anyway) somewhere between passion fruit and Juicy Fruit gum! Literally every time I've had someone smell it, either fresh or dried, their eyes immediately widened and they let out some sort of exclamation ("Whoa!", "What?!", and "What the f**k?!" have been the most common reactions). It's truly extraordinary.Like other hoary basils, this variety is a prolific producer of tiny seeds. The seeds can be used like chia seeds, surrounding themselves with a sticky mucilaginous goo upon submersion in water. In the Middle East, seeds of hoary