Nick Cramer expounded:

Holy Basil is a well known aromatic, short lived perennial herb or small
shrub, often grown as an annual. The foliage is green or purple, strongly
scented. Leaves have petioles, and are ovate, up to 5cm (2") long, usually
somewhat toothed. Flowers are white, tinged purple, borne in racemes.

Its aroma is distinctively different from its close cousin, the Thai Basil
which is sometimes wrongly called Holy Basil, in shops and on the internet,
but they can be distinguished by their aroma and flavour. Holy Basil is
slightly hairy, whereas Thai Basil is smooth and hairless; Holy Basil does
not have the strong aniseed or licorice smell of Thai Basil, and Holy Basil
has a spicy flavor sometimes compared to cloves.

This sounds like what we call Sacred Basil. I absolutely cannot
resist the scent of this plant. I love to run my fingers through it,
the scent lingers for hours.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
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