Lettuce Leaf Basil Seeds

Days to Maturity: 75 from direct sow

For more than 125 years, gardeners have been growing Basil Lettuce Leaf. It's simply the most productive variety, with giant leaves on bushy, vigorous plants. The aroma is enticing, and the flavor is more sweet than spicy, a gentle mild bite that the whole family will love. You're going to love this popular favorite!

Basil Lettuce Leaf earns its name with big, slightly serrated and crinkled leaves up to 4 inches wide and 6 inches long. Very closely set on well-branched plants 18 to 24 inches high, they keep coming all season—just pinch off the flower buds as they form, and Lettuce Leaf will keep growing more foliage.

About those flowers, though—Lettuce Leaf is slow to bolt, so you'll get a longer season of harvest. And as you pinch off the blooms, save them—they make delicious additions to salads and yummy garnish for the plate.

Use this basil for pesto, sandwiches, and casseroles. You'll have plenty to dry and crumble for the spice rack, and you'll be amazed at how many new ways you can find to use the fresh leaves—they make great faux lettuce for sandwiches, add a tangy bite when layered into lasagne and other Neopolitan dishes, and serve as wraps for appetizers. Combine them with mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and a dash of balsamic vinegar, and you have the perfect refreshing summer snack.

Like all aromatic plants, Basil Lettuce Leaf is a natural pest repellant in the garden. Surround vulnerable plants with it, or scatter it throughout the annual bed or cutting garden, so that it can share both its fragrance and its pest-fighting ability with the whole planting. And be sure to pot up a few Lettuce Leaf plants to perfume the deck for outdoor dining. Enjoy this fantastic heirloom.