Basil 'Bolloso Napoletano' Seeds

'Bolloso Napoletano' is the big-leaved basil of Naples, with leaves so large and puckered that a single one covers a slice of pizza. This heirloom Ocimum basilicum grows bright green, blistered, lettuce-like leaves with a sweet, rounded basil scent and none of the harshness some varieties develop in heat. Tear them over margherita and caprese, blend them into pesto, or use whole leaves to wrap mozzarella. It makes a lush, upright plant for a sunny windowsill, greenhouse or warm patio pot, and the more you pick, the bushier it grows.

Sowing and growing

• Sow indoors March to May in warmth (about 20°C)
• Sow 5 mm deep in small pots or modules; water carefully, as seedlings dislike soggy compost
• Germination takes 7 to 14 days
• Move outside only from June, after the last frost, to a warm, sunny, sheltered spot
• Grows to around 60 cm tall and 30 cm wide
• Pick leaves from about six to eight weeks after sowing; pinch out flower buds to keep the leaves coming
• A frost-tender annual

What you receive: a packet of about 150 seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Find more seeds for the kitchen garden in our range, and pots, compost and trays in our growing equipment.