It is an herb grown primarily in northeastern Africa and southern Asia, for its strong fragrant lemon scent is used in cooking.
Lemon basil has stems that can grow to 20-40 cm tall.
It has white flowers in late summer to early fall.
The leaves are similar to basil leaves, but tend to be narrower.
Seeds form on the plant after flowering and dry on the plant.
Lemon basil is a popular herb in Arabian, Indonesian, Laotian, Persian and Thai cuisine.
The only basil that is much used in Indonesian cuisine which is called kemangi.
It is often eaten raw with salad or raw vegetables and company with sambal.
To season certain Indonesian curries, grilled, steamed, soup and stew dishes, lemon basils are often used.
In Laos, lemon basil is typically used in certain Laotian curries, stews, and stir-fried dishes.
In Thailand, lemon basil is aone of several types of basil used in Thai cuisine.