❀ Foliage · Summer to Fall

Michigan Basil

Cut basil is the secret weapon of a summer bouquet, weaving glossy green and burgundy leaves through the flowers while filling the whole arrangement with a warm, spicy scent.

Add basil to a DIY bucket Request floral design

Basil grown by a Michigan Flower Barn farmer

Seasonal Availability

AprMayJunJulAugSepOctNov

About Basil

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a tender, heat-loving annual best known in the kitchen, but its aromatic stems earn a quiet second life in the bucket. Cut basil brings a lush, filler-friendly green (and, in the burgundy and purple types, a moody near-black leaf) that softens the edges of a bouquet and fills the gaps between focal blooms. Brush against it and you get that unmistakable clove-and-anise warmth, so it scents an arrangement as much as it fills it.

Native to the warm regions of tropical Asia and Africa, basil wants heat and hates a chill, which makes it a natural fit for our member farmers’ summer plantings. It goes in the ground only after the last frost has passed and the soil has warmed, then rewards steady pinching by branching into the bushy, many-stemmed plants that give us long, leafy cuts through the hot months. MSU Extension groups basil with the warm-season herbs that thrive once Michigan summer truly settles in. MSU Extension notes basil is one of the easiest warm-season herbs to grow.

Basil’s best trait, its fragrance, is also its most fleeting, fading within days of harvest, so freshly cut and local truly matters here in a way that shipped foliage can never match. Our stems are cut at the farm and reach you while the aroma is still bright. Reserve a DIY bucket and request cinnamon, lemon, or a deep burgundy basil to build your own scented bouquets, or let our design team fold it into your wedding and event work as living, fragrant filler.

Basil From Our Farmers

Basil at a Glance

In season (MI)

July through September

Colors

apple green, deep purple, burgundy, and variegated forms

Stem length

12 to 24 inches

Best for

fragrant foliage, bouquet filler, and greenery in mixed arrangements

How to buy

Requested in a DIY bucket, or custom design

Explore the libraryFoliage Purple Green Summer–Fall

Forms & Varieties

Our member farmers grow several cutting basils chosen as much for color and scent as for the kitchen.

‘Cardinal’

A show-off with sturdy stems topped by dense, deep-burgundy flower spikes. It reads almost like a bloom in its own right and holds well as a textural accent.

Cinnamon Basil

Rosy-purple stems and a warm, spicy fragrance that lives up to the name. The tidy leaves and flower heads make a fragrant, mid-height filler.

‘Mrs. Burns’ Lemon’

Bright green leaves with a clean citrus scent and airy white flower spikes. It lightens a bouquet and adds a fresh, zesty note up close.

Dark Opal Purple

Glossy, wine-dark foliage that brings depth and contrast behind brighter focal flowers. A moody green that grounds a summer palette.

Care & Vase Life

Expect 5 to 7 days; recut the stems and give them a deep drink of cool water for a few hours before arranging.
Do not refrigerate, basil suffers chilling damage and blackens below about 50°F, so keep it at room temperature.
Strip any leaves that would sit underwater to keep the vase clean and prevent rot.
Choose stems that feel firm; limp basil rarely recovers fully.
Change the water every couple of days and keep it out of direct sun.

When We Have Basil

Basil is a warm-season crop, so it shows up once Michigan nights turn reliably mild, from July through September. It thrives in summer heat and sulks in cold, damp weather, which means an early frost ends the supply quickly. Every bunch is grown by our member farmers, and the leaf colors on offer follow what’s flourishing in their fields.

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Availability shifts week to week with the Michigan season, so colors and varieties vary. Reserve ahead for events, and check the shop for what our farmers have cut this week.

How to Get Basil

DIY buckets

Request basil in a DIY bucket

Reserve a DIY bucket and request basil to arrange yourself, perfect for weddings, events, or filling your home. Order ahead and pick up at the barn.

Reserve a DIY bucket

Buy direct

Buy basil in the shop

When basil are in season, you can buy them straight from our online shop. It’s especially good value if you’re a wholesale buyer member.

Visit the shop

Floral design

Let us design it for you

Prefer it done for you? Our floral designers create custom, basil-forward arrangements and full wedding and event work. Pickup is at the barn; buyer members can also arrange local delivery.

Request floral design

Basil FAQs

Can I use bouquet basil in cooking?

It’s the same species you’d cook with, but cut-flower basil is grown for stems and foliage and isn’t washed for food use, so we recommend enjoying it in the vase rather than the kitchen.

Why does my basil turn black?

Cold is the usual culprit. Basil is tropical and takes chilling damage in the fridge, so keep it at room temperature and out of drafts.

How long does cut basil last?

Around 5 to 7 days when kept warm, with fresh water and stems recut on arrival.

Can I buy basil by the bucket?

Yes. Basil is a bucket-base green, so you can reserve a full DIY bucket of fragrant foliage or have our designers weave it through custom arrangements.