The basil season usually starts in June and ends in September in all US states. In some states the basil season lasts longer, you can find it from May until December in California or between March and November in Florida. In New Mexico and Hawaii, you can find this amazing plant during every season.
Before moving forward with more information about this delicious plant, let´s see its seasonality throughout the United States.
| State | Basil in season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | May till October |
| Alaska | June till October |
| Arizona | August till November |
| Arkansas | May till October |
| California | May till December |
| Colorado | June till September |
| Connecticut | April till October |
| Delaware | July till September |
| Florida | March till November |
| Georgia | May till September |
| Hawaii | January till December |
| Idaho | March till October |
| Illinois | August till October |
| Indiana | July till September |
| Iowa | July till September |
| Kansas | mid-May till October |
| Kentucky | June till September |
| Louisiana | May till October |
| Maine | July till September |
| Maryland | May till October |
| Massachusetts | July till September |
| Michigan | July till September |
| Minnesota | July till September |
| Mississippi | May till October |
| Missouri | July till September |
| Montana | June till September |
| Nebraska | July till September |
| Nevada | May till October |
| New Hampshire | July till September |
| New Jersey | July till September |
| New Mexico | January till December |
| New York | July till October |
| North Carolina | May till November |
| North Dakota | August till September |
| Ohio | mid-July till September |
| Oklahoma | July till September |
| Oregon | June till November |
| Pennsylvania | July till September |
| Rhode Island | mid-June till November |
| South Carolina | May till September |
| South Dakota | August till September |
| Tennessee | May till November |
| Texas | June till October |
| Utah | June till September |
| Vermont | July till September |
| Virginia | May till November |
| Washington | July till October |
| West Virginia | July till September |
| Wisconsin | August till September |
| Wyoming | July till September |
Basil is a member of the mint family, and it has multiple varieties, sub-varieties and hybrids. Some of the most popular types of basil include:
- Sweet Basil, which has a round leaf and is the most popular of all.
- Lemon Basil is mainly used in poultry and fish dishes and tea.
- Purple Basil is primarily used as a garnish and steep vinegar or oil.
- Thai Sweet Basil has small dark leaves and is best served with Asian dishes.
All these varieties have differences in flavors and use, and growing seasons.
Generally speaking, basil is a warm-weather plant. Basil season usually commences in June and runs all through to September. Still, in warmer places like California, you will find it peaks from as early as May to December. Other warm areas such as New Mexico and Hawaii experience all-year-round basil season. Our detailed chart above shows the basil season in different states.
You will find basil of the best quality and all different varieties in the season. However, when stored in cold storage facilities or refrigerated, its quality decreases tragically; it loses its tasty and aromatic nature. You can also store dried basil, but the product loses its beautiful green color, which usually complements the food you like to garnish.
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