'Isfahan Tokhm Sharbati' Hoary Basil

Ocimum americanum Origin: Isfahan, Iran Improvement status: Landrace Seeds per packet: ~30 Germination tested 1/2022: 33% (below federal standard) Life cycle: Annual EFN INTRODUCTION. NEW FOR 2022. 'Isfahan Tokhm Sharbati' is a variety of hoary basil (Ocimum americanum) from the Iranian city of Isfahan. Despite the botanical name, this species is actually not from the Americas at all, but has a wide range from Africa across the southern tier of Asia. It's certainly a lesser-known basil in this country, but it's a significant crop in some places. Swahili-speaking peoples in East Africa call it "mvumbani" or "kivumbani", and use it for lowering blood pressure, treating stomach aches, or simply as a base-flavoring for tea. In Indonesia, it's known as "kemangi," and it's supposedly used in traditional Indonesian medicine to enhance sexual and reproductive health. Indonesians and other people in Southeast Asia also use it raw as a vegetable or flavoring. In Tamil Nadu (southern India), a d