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Is a low growing herb giving a sweet and pungent flavour. Basil is originally native to Iran, India and other tropical regions of Asia, having been cultivated there for more than 5 ,000 years. It grows best in hot, dry conditions. There are many varieties of basil, including sweet basil, Thai basil, lemon basil and holy basil. It is popular in both Indian cuisine and that of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. It is also popular in European cooking, particularly Italian, and is usually added to tomato based sauces for pasta. It is and is also one of the main ingredients of the olive oil and herb pasta sauce "pesto". It is generally added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. Scientific studies have established that compounds in basil oil have potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. Sweet basil pictured, is generally used in Italian Cooking.