Short Description Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum L. The low-growing bush basil (Ocimum minimum) is a separate species, but it is probably a variant of sweet basil. Much of the herb grown today is a hybrid, a cross between Ocimum basilicum andOcimum americanum. There are many cultivars of basil that have their own denomination. Other Common Names: Basil, common basil, garden basil, St. Joseph’s wort, basilicon, joy of the mountain, basilikum (German), basilic (French), lo-le (Chinese), basilika (Swedish), babui tulsi (Hindi), barjiru (Japanese). Habitat: The plant is endemic to India, the Middle East and some islands in the Pacific. Today, it’s grown in all parts of the world where there’s a warm or temperate climate. The herb has been cultivated in the Mediterranean countries for thousands of years.