Lemon Basil 'Mrs Burns' Seeds

Mrs Burns' is the lemon basil to grow if you want real citrus punch: the scent hits as soon as you brush the leaves. An American heirloom introduced in 1939, it makes a bushy plant of bright, light green leaves with a clean lemon flavour that holds up in cooking. Use it in dressings, with fish and chicken, in a lemony pesto, or chopped into biscuits and cakes. A form of Ocimum basilicum, it grows well on a sunny windowsill or in a pot on the patio.

Sowing and growing

• Sow indoors March to May at about 18 to 20°C, 0.5 cm deep
• Germination: 5 to 10 days
• Move outside in June once nights are frost free, or keep on a bright windowsill
• Position: full sun, sheltered, in free-draining compost
• Height: 40 to 60 cm; spread 20 to 40 cm
• Harvest: pick from about 6 to 8 weeks after sowing; pinch out flower buds to keep the leaves coming
• Lifecycle: tender annual, killed by frost

What you receive: a packet of open-pollinated Mrs Burns' lemon basil seeds from Piccolo Seeds, with growing instructions on the back.

Pair it with our Genovese basil seeds for a classic pesto basil, or browse the full range of herb, flower and vegetable seeds.