This basil is a good example of how food culture has influenced plant breeding over hundreds of years. Pesto is a regional dish from Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy. Over time, Genoese gardeners and farmers selected this basil for the qualities they felt made the best pesto: large thick leaves, sturdy plants that withstand multiple harvests, deep green leaves that retain their color when crushed (pestâ- to pound, to crush). Of course, this basil is still delicious for flavoring sandwiches, soups, and cooked dishes, but if you're into pesto and hoping to stock up your freezer with delicious paste to last through winter, go with the Genovese. In Wendy Hollender's illustration, the Genovese is front and center with the largest green leaves.

200 seeds per pack.