Genovese Basil is an annual herb.It has green leaves and stems and thrives in hot weather. The leaves will grow to 3 to 4 inches (7 1/2 to 10 cm) long and 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 1/2 cm) wide. The plant is best kept trimmed to no more than 3 feet (1 metre) tall, or it will straggle up to 5 feet (1 1/2 metres.) In fact, the more you cut it, the more it will grow — you can get 7 to 8 cuttings off it in one season. If you plan to use your basil continuously, this might be the one to look at.
Genovese Basil leaves have a good balance of sweet and spicy flavour and are considered very good for pesto.
The flowers of the Genovese basil are also very good.
Language Notes
Despite the “Genoa” name, the herb is not actually native to Italy, but rather to Africa, Asia or India.