Cinnamon Basil: Planting, Growing & Care Guide | [Your Brand/Website Name]

Although sweet Italian basil is well known to most gardeners and eaters, there are many other varieties of basil you can grow. These less common varieties are more difficult to find at markets, so they’re great candidates for growing at home.

‘Cinnamon’ basil produces beautiful purple and green foliage and stems that make it a great addition to cutting gardens. The leaves have a unique, sweet, cinnamon-like fragrance and taste, making this herb a good addition to both sweet and savory dishes.

Growing ‘Cinnamon’ basil isn’t difficult, but there are a few tips and tricks that make it easier to grow healthy plants. I’ll cover all you need to know about growing this herb from seed to harvest.

Italian Genovese Basil

Italian Genovese Basil Seeds

‘Cinnamon’ Basil Overview

Plant Type Annual

Family Lamiaceae

Genus Ocimum

Species Basillicum

Native Area Central Africa, Southeast Asia

Exposure Full sun

Height 2-3 feet

Watering Requirements Moderate to high

Pests & Diseases Downy mildew, fusarium wilt, aphids, Japanese beetles

Maintenance Moderate

Soil Type Rich and well-draining

Hardiness Zone 3-11

What Is It?

Stems double as seasoning and sweet-smelling bouquet filler.

‘Cinnamon’ basil is a cultivar of annual basil with a uniquely sweet and spicy fragrance and flavor. Walking through the garden and brushing against the leaves releases the scent of freshly-ground cinnamon sticks. Like all types of basil, this cultivar thrives in warm weather, full sun, and consistent moisture.

You can use ‘Cinnamon’ basil as an edible herb in the kitchen or cut the flowering stems as a bouquet filler. It’s even possible to use a single plant for both culinary and floral applications.

Native Area

This boldly aromatic herb comes from warm climates.

The general sweet basil species, Ocimum basilicum, is native to tropical areas in Central and Southeast Asia. After this wild plant was cultivated, numerous varieties emerged, including ‘Cinnamon’ basil.

Characteristics

Pinching back blooms brings a fresh flush of leaves.

‘Cinnamon’ basil grows in a branching pattern with deep purple stems and light green leaves. It eventually produces clusters of purple flowers at the top of the stems. Although ‘Cinnamon’ basil closely resembles Thai basil cultivars, it has a distinctive aroma with less anise and more spice.

The plants are annuals and can go from seed to flower in as little as 60 days. However, regularly harvesting the leaves and pruning off flowers will encourage the plants to produce tender new foliage throughout the summer.

Planting

Plant only after frost danger has safely passed.

You can grow ‘Cinnamon’ basil by directly sowing the seeds in the ground or transplanting young seedlings. I prefer to start seeds in pots, then transplant young plants. Transplanting leads to more reliable germination, makes it easy to place plants at the proper spacing, and lets you sneak in a spring crop of radishes or lettuce before you add your basil.

Basil can’t tolerate below-freezing temperatures and becomes stressed when the air dips below 45°F (7°C), so wait until a few weeks after your last frost to plant it outdoors. Starting seeds indoors two to three weeks before your average last frost date will give you seedlings that are ready to transplant outdoors at the proper time.

Starting Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors makes transplanting much easier later on.

Since finding this unique basil variety in garden centers can be tricky, you may have to start with seeds. Fortunately, these seeds are easy to germinate and grow into healthy seedlings. Follow these steps to grow healthy seedlings that you can later transplant outdoors.

Before you start sowing your seeds, obtain a well-draining potting mix designed for seed starting. You’ll also need small containers to hold the mix and your future seedlings. Seed-starting trays work well since they contain air-pruning sides and a bottom hole that makes it easy to remove the seedlings. You can also use old yogurt containers if you’re in a pinch, just make sure to poke drainage holes in the bottom.

Gently moisten your soil mix until it feels slightly damp but not soaking wet. Add the moist mix to your containers, then gently tap them on a table or other solid surface to remove any large air pockets. Fill in any empty space so the mix comes to the top of the container.

Poke a 1/4 inch deep hole in each cell or container, then place one to two seeds in each hole. Cover lightly with soil and then water well.

Place your seeds in an area that’s between 65-80°F (18-29°C) and keep the soil moist. The seeds should germinate within five to ten days in the ideal environment.

As soon as you see the seedlings emerge, move them to a location that receives 10-12 hours of bright light. A greenhouse or south-facing window can work well, but you can use a grow light if you don’t have access to a warm area with bright natural light. Set the seedlings just a few inches under the light to make sure they don’t become weak and leggy.

‘Cinnamon’ basil grows at a moderate rate, so the seedlings will be ready to transplant within four to six weeks. You can technically transplant the small plants at any time, but I like to wait until the plants have at least three sets of true leaves.

Once the plants are large enough and the nighttime temperatures are stable above 45°F (7°C), you can begin hardening off the seedlings. Slowly move the potted plants outdoors for a few hours on a cloudy day. Move them back indoors during the night, then outdoors the next day for a few more hours. Once the plants spend an entire day and night outdoors, they’re ready to transplant.

How to Grow

‘Cinnamon’ basil grows much like other types of basil, and it requires similar care. As long as you provide the proper environment and care, the plants can continue to produce new growth for multiple months.

Light

Plenty of brightness brings out its best natural colors.

‘Cinnamon’ basil grows best in full sun. It can tolerate a little bit of shade, but you should make sure it receives at least eight hours of bright light each day.

Water

A drip system or careful base watering works best here.

Like most types of basil, this spicy variety grows best when it receives consistent moisture. The plants don’t tolerate drought well, so avoid letting the soil dry.

Watering one to two inches per week is typically sufficient, but the plants may require more water during hot, dry days. Long, slow, deep waterings are ideal since they allow the water to percolate through the soil and encourage the basil plants to develop deep roots.

Since ‘Cinnamon’ basil leaves are prone to fungal diseases like downy mildew and fusarium wilt, it’s important to keep the foliage dry. Avoid using overhead sprinklers or spraying your plants with a hose. Instead, water near the base of the plant with a hose or watering can, or install a drip irrigation system.

Soil

Too much water sitting around can stress the roots.

Although ‘Cinnamon’ basil likes moist soil, it doesn’t like sitting in water. That means well-draining soil is key! If you notice water puddling on the soil after heavy rain, avoid planting your basil in this area.  You can attempt to aerate the soil with a shovel or digging fork, but choosing a naturally well-draining area is a better option.

This fragrant herb also likes soil that’s rich in organic matter. Mixing in a few handfuls of compost into the top six inches of soil will help provide food for beneficial microbes, improve drainage, and increase water holding capacity.

Fertilizing

A little balanced fertilizer keeps growth steady and strong.

‘Cinnamon’ basil benefits from regular applications of a low-dose, balanced fertilizer. Adding a small amount of granular fertilizer at planting time will help the seedlings put on new growth, and adding diluted fish emulsion once a month throughout the growing season will supply more nutrients.

If you added nutrient-rich compost to your soil before planting, you won’t have to add as much fertilizer. Many times, a high-quality compost is all the plants need to remain healthy.

Maintenance

Regular trimming helps keep new, tender leaves coming.

‘Cinnamon’ basil doesn’t require much maintenance outside of regular harvesting or pruning. Trimming the plants before or while they’re flowering will encourage them to produce tender new leaves. I’ll cover more on how to properly harvest below.

Propagation

You can propagate ‘Cinnamon’ basil in numerous ways, but the two most common are from cuttings and seeds. Taking cuttings helps you establish new plants more quickly, but saving seed allows you to grow this herb the following year.

Cuttings

Keep cuttings in fresh water until roots start to show.

Taking basil cuttings is easy and allows you to grow a new plant in a couple of weeks. Start by locating a stem that is six to eight inches long and contains at least three leaf nodes but no flowers. Cut the stem just below one of the sets of leaves, remove all but the top leaves from the cutting, then place it in a container filled with water.

Keep the cutting in a location with indirect light, and change the water every few days. You should see roots beginning to form on the submerged stem in two to three weeks. Once the roots are half an inch long, you can pot the cutting into a container or plant it in your garden.

Seed

Shake dried blooms over a towel to catch tiny seeds.

Another way to propagate ‘Cinnamon’ basil is to let the plants go to flower and collect the mature seeds. You’ll need to leave the flowers on the plants long enough that they form seeds. When they’re ready, small black seeds will fall from the flowers when you shake them.

Lay the seedheads in a dry, warm area to dehydrate. When they’re dry, shake them over a towel or mat, then place them in a sealed bag or container to store.

Harvesting and Storage

Morning harvests give the best flavor and longest freshness.

You can grow ‘Cinnamon’ basil for its flowers, foliage, or both. Harvesting in the early morning is ideal, regardless of which part of the plant you’re harvesting.

If you want to cut the leaves to use fresh or dry for teas, cut a stem just above a leaf node. The remaining nodes will continue to grow and allow for future harvests. After you cut the stems, place them in a container filled with water while making sure no lower leaves are sitting in the water. Keep the stems in a cool area out of direct light, but don’t place them in your refrigerator.

Cutting the plant for flowers is similar to harvesting it for foliage, but you have to wait until the plants go to flower. Cut the stems above a leaf node, then place them in water and set them in a cool area that’s out of direct light.

Common Problems

‘Cinnamon’ basil is susceptible to many of the same problems that plague other types of basil. Watch for the following pests and diseases, and take action when necessary.

Pests

Many of the small, sapsucking pests that attack flowers and vegetables also threaten basil. Here are some of the most common attackers.

Sap-Sucking Pests

When bugs multiply fast, a soft insect wash does the trick.

Aphids, thrips, and whiteflies can all congregate on ‘Cinnamon’ basil plants and reproduce as they use the plant’s sap as fuel. Natural predators like green lacewings and parasitic wasps often keep these pest numbers low, but you may have to spray the pests with a strong stream of water from a hose and follow up with insecticidal soap if they get out of control.

Japanese Beetles

Daily pest patrols save plants from hungry beetle damage.

These brown and green beetles will eat a wide range of garden plants, including ‘Cinnamon’ basil. Each beetle can quickly chew jagged holes in the leaves, so removing them as soon as you see them is crucial if you want your plants to remain healthy. The easiest way to deal with Japanese beetles is to check your plants on a daily basis and pick or shake the pests into a container filled with soapy water.

Diseases

It’s not uncommon for ’ Cinnamon’ basil to become infected by one or more diseases, especially if you live in an area with humid or rainy summers.

Downy Mildew

That fuzzy gray stuff spreads fast without good airflow.

Downy mildew on basil plants is caused by the fungal pathogen Peronospora belbahrii. Symptoms include fuzzy, light gray growth on the leaves, dark brown patches, and/or yellowing foliage. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to treat downy mildew once it occurs.

You can help prevent this disease by keeping your plant’s leaves dry and allowing for good airflow. Avoid overhead watering and plant at the proper spacing.

Fusarium Wilt

Brown discoloration on stems is a sign to act fast.

Fusarium wilt is another fungal disease that often attacks ‘Cinnamon’ basil. Healthy plants quickly develop brown discoloration on the lower stem and leaves, then wilt. There is no treatment for the disease, so pulling infected plants is the best option.

Frequently Asked Questions

‘Cinnamon’ basil leaves have a sweet and lightly spiced flavor that makes them a nice addition to teas, curries, pasta, and baked goods.

No. Although the leaves are fragrant, this annual herb doesn’t repel unwanted insects.

It depends on how you want to use it. Harvest the plant before it flowers if you want to enjoy the leaves, but allow the plant to flower if you want to use it in bouquets.