Lettuce-Leaf Basil
Ocimum basilicum 'Lettuce Leaf'
herbLettuce Leaf Basil (also sold as Mammoth or the Italian Foglia di Lattuga) produces enormous 5 to 6 in deeply crinkled, savoyed lettuce-sized leaves with the same sweet flavor as Genovese basil but milder and slower to bolt. The bright green leaves are perfect for layering into sandwiches, wrapping rice for Vietnamese-style rolls, or as the base for huge bright-green pesto. A productive long-harvest variety for kitchen garden cooks.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 3 days
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Harvest
~65 days
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Difficulty
easy
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Lifecycle
annual
One season, then done
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Spacing
12-18 in apart
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Planting Depth
1/4 in for seeds; same as nursery for transplants
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Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Growing Details
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 10
Grown as an annual — this range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
Light feed at transplant; again at 6 weeks
Fertilizer
Balanced 10-10-10 or fish emulsion
🌱 Growing Guide
Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost or direct-sow after frost danger passes. Transplant when soil is consistently above 65F. Set plants 12 to 18 in apart in full sun on rich well-drained soil. Pinch the growing tips at 6 in tall to encourage bushy growth and delay flowering. Lettuce Leaf is slower to bolt than Genovese, giving a longer harvest window. The plant reaches 18 to 24 in tall and wide.
Planting Calendar
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Start seeds indoors
Mar 4
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Transplant outdoors
Apr 29
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Projected first harvest
Jul 3
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Tomatoes — Classic kitchen-garden pairing; may improve tomato flavor and repel aphids
- Peppers — Shared warm-season conditions
- Marigolds — Suppress nematodes in the root zone
- Borage — Pollinator magnet that supports the whole bed
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Rotate basil out of the bed for 3 years
Blast with water, encourage ladybugs and lacewings
Iron phosphate bait around young plants; clear garden debris
Space for airflow, water at the base, harvest regularly to maintain open foliage
🌾 Harvest & storage
Start harvesting when plants reach 6 to 8 in tall by cutting whole sprigs just above a leaf node; this encourages bushier regrowth. The huge leaves can be picked individually for whole-leaf sandwiches and wraps, or by the stem for pesto. Pinch off flower buds as soon as they appear to keep the plant producing leaves. Lettuce Leaf gives a particularly heavy yield over a long harvest period.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
About 23 calories per 100 g raw with 1.6 g fiber, 18 mg vitamin C, 295 mg potassium, 414 mcg vitamin K (518 percent of DV), and notable amounts of manganese, calcium, and iron. The aromatic essential oils (eugenol, linalool) have been studied for digestive and antimicrobial effects.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.