Vert de Gênes basil plant with large bright green leaves, next to a small pile of its seeds

Vert de Gênes basil plants for open ground, with large, glossy green leaves

Row of Genovese basil in the vegetable garden, smooth, domed leaves on brown soil

Close-up of the young growing tips of Genovese green basil, bright green leaves

Genovese basil seeds

Name: Genovese basil seeds
Brand: Kokopelli
SKU: KOKO-BASILIC-VERT-GENES
Price: 3.9 EUR
Availability: InStock

3,90 €

An heirloom Italian basil with very large, bright green leaves, domed like an inverted cup, Vert de Gênes is the traditional variety for pesto, with a powerful aroma and a tender leaf.

The packet contains 200 seeds, organic and open-pollinated. Sow under cover from March to June, on the surface, at 18 to 20 °C.

Ref. KOKO-BASILIC-VERT-GENES·Vegetable seeds

Customer support 7 days a week by email

Delivery within 2 to 15 business days

100 % secure payment

The summary

What you receive: 200 organic, open-pollinated seeds of Vert de Gênes basil.
Sowing: under cover from March to June, on the surface, at 18 to 20 °C.
The technical point: the seed is placed on the surface and not covered.
Harvest: continuously from June to October, pinching out every week.
The plant: 20 to 40 cm tall, one plant every 25 to 30 cm.
How to choose: this one for pesto, Dark Opal for colour.

Italian basil with large leaves, 200 farmers' seeds, the pesto variety

Genovese basil seeds (Vert de Gênes), a traditional variety distributed by the Kokopelli association, are used to grow the traditional pesto basil, with very large, bright green leaves and a powerful fragrance. The packet contains 200 organic, open-pollinated seeds, to be sown on the surface under cover from March to June, at 18 to 20 °C.

Vert de Gênes is an heirloom variety of Italian basil, with very large, bright green leaves, tender and domed like an upturned cup. It is the traditional variety for pesto, and its fragrant leaf is just as suited to the mortar as to salads and hot dishes. You can pick it continuously from June until the first cold weather, from a clump 20 to 40 cm tall.

💡 Sowing without covering

Genoese Green is sown under cover from March to June, in a tray, about 6 weeks before planting out. Place the seeds on the surface without covering them, press them in with your finger, and keep the medium between 18 and 20 °C in a bright, sheltered spot: germination then takes 1 to 2 weeks. At the 4 to 5 leaf stage, transplant into individual pots, or in small groups if you want a dense clump. Water sparingly, as a waterlogged medium encourages leggy seedlings. In soil that is already warm in late spring, sowing directly in place spares you the transplanting.

A seedling pod set on clay pebbles

For growing in a system, sow Vert de Gênes in a peat sponge pod, placing the seed on the surface. The pod keeps moisture around the seed while it germinates, then it is transplanted whole into a grow bed filled with clay pebbles, with no compost to disperse into the fish water. This way you avoid handling the roots at transplanting.

Sow

Sow on the surface without covering, then press down with a fingertip to ensure contact.

Transplant

At the 4 to 5 leaf stage, transplant into a small pot, singly or in small groups.

Space out

Allow one plant every 25 to 30 cm, or several plants close together for a clump.

✂️ Pinch out before flowering

Pinching out is the main upkeep task for basil. As soon as a flower bud appears at the end of a stem, pinch just above a pair of leaves: the plant branches into 2 instead of one, and it delays running to seed. A plant pinched every week stays productive all summer, whereas the same plant left to flower slows down within a few weeks and its leaves toughen. Regular cutting keeps other herbs in the range going in the same way, such as common chives, which are cut with shears.

Harvest from the top by cutting whole stems just above a pair of leaves, rather than picking the large lower leaves, which feed the plant. Water at the base and preferably in the morning, because foliage that stays wet overnight develops spots. At the end of the season, you can let 1 or 2 stems flower: their white flowers produce seeds of the same variety, since the seed breeds true.

💧 Basil in aquaponics

In aquaponics, basil grows quickly, its nitrogen needs remain modest and its shallow root system suits a system that is still young, whereas a tomato needs a more mature circuit. Two conditions matter for you: water kept above 15 °C, because basil is frost-tender and stops growing well before freezing, and bright light, without which the stems stretch and the leaves lose their fragrance. The guide to 15 plants to grow in aquaponics lists it among the herbs that do best there.

Technical specifications

The sachet

Number of seeds: 200Enough to sow in succession over several seasons.
Seed origin: Kokopelli associationOrganic seeds, royalty-free.
Seed type: Open-pollinated, non-hybridReproducible: seed from your own harvest will give the same variety.
Seed storage: Around 8 yearsStore in a dry, cool, dark place.

The variety

Botanical name: Ocimum basilicum
Leaf: Very broad, bright greenTender, domed like an upturned cup.
Adult height: 20 to 40 cm
Flowering: White flowersPinch out to prolong the leaf harvest.

Seedling and harvest

Seedlings under cover: March to JuneIn a tray, 6 weeks before planting out.
Seedling depth: On the surfacePress the seed down with a finger, without covering it.
Seedling temperature: 18 to 20 °C
Germination time: 1 to 2 weeks
Spacing: 25 to 30 cmOr several plants set close together to form a clump.
Harvest period: June to OctoberContinuously, by pinching out every week.

To budget for separately

Seedling medium: Foam pods or fine compost
Container: A grow bed or a 20 cm pot

8 further specifications are available in the detailed view.

In the box

1 paper packet of 200 Vert de Gênes basil seeds, harvested from organic farming
1 variety label: botanical name, sowing period, and year of seed harvest

Variety sheet from the seed supplier Kokopelli (contents, sowing, harvest, sizes), checked on 11/10/2026; the number of seeds may vary from one batch to another. Temperatures, germination times and storage periods are approximate figures for mainland France.

Manufacturer and product safety

Manufacturer: Association Kokopelli (SIREN 433481124, TVA FR80433481124)
Postal address: 7 route de Sabarat, Forêt de Castagnès, 09290 Le Mas-d'Azil, France
Contact: Formulaire de contact : https://kokopelli-semences.fr/fr/faq/ (aucune adresse e-mail publique) ; téléphone 05 61 67 69 87
Website: kokopelli-semences.fr

Information provided under Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety.

Vert de Gênes or Dark Opal

Two farmers' basils in packets of 200 seeds, which are sown at the same time and at the same temperature. Colour, leaf and use in the kitchen set them apart.

Two basils, two places in the kitchen One ends up in the mortar by the generous handful, the other on the plate as whole leaves. Start from the dish and the crop follows.

	Foliage colour	Leaf shape	Flower colour	Primary use	Maximum adult height (cm)	Seedlings under cover	Seedling temperature	Seeds per packet
Recommended Genovese basil seedsYour choice	Bright green	Very wide, domed like a spoon	White	Pesto and sauces	40 cm	March to June	18 to 20 °C	200
Basil seeds, Dark OpalYour choice	Glossy purple to dark green	Broad and pointed	Mallows	Plate garnish and vinegars	30 cm	March to June	18 to 20 °C	200

Genovese basil seedsRecommended

The plant

Foliage colourBright green

Leaf shapeVery wide, domed like a spoon

Flower colourWhite

Primary usePesto and sauces

Maximum adult height (cm)40 cm

The seedling

Seedlings under coverMarch to June

Seedling temperature18 to 20 °C

Seeds per packet200

Basil seeds, Dark Opal

The plant

Foliage colourGlossy purple to dark green

Leaf shapeBroad and pointed

Flower colourMallows

Primary usePlate garnish and vinegars

Maximum adult height (cm)30 cm

The seedling

Seedlings under coverMarch to June

Seedling temperature18 to 20 °C

Seeds per packet200

Variety sheets from the seed supplier Kokopelli, consulted on 11/10/2026.

Estimate your
delivery time

A packet of seeds ships as a small parcel. It can be grouped at no extra cost with the rest of your order, and the exact amount is calculated at checkout.

Frequently asked questions

6 questions

6 key questions

Should basil seeds be covered?

How do you keep basil productive all summer?

Why is my basil growing tall and leggy with small leaves?

How much space and height should I allow?

Does basil grow well in aquaponics?

It is one of the easiest and most productive crops for a water-based system.

Several advantages count in its favour: fast growth, modest nitrogen needs, short roots, and the ability to cope in a recently installed system, where a fruiting plant waits for a well-established circuit.

Two points need watching: water that stays above 15 °C, because basil is frost-tender and stops growing well before freezing point, and bright light, without which the stems become leggy and the fragrance is lost.

Can I harvest my own basil seeds?

Growing calendar

Guidelines for mainland France, to be shifted by about 2 weeks depending on your region.

Stage
Seedlings under cover4 months	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover in March	Seedlings under cover in April	Seedlings under cover in May	Seedlings under cover in June	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no	Seedlings under cover: no
Installation2 months	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation in May	Installation in June	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation: no	Installation: no
Weekly pinching out4 months	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out in June	Weekly pinching out in July	Weekly pinching out in August	Weekly pinching out in September	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out: no	Weekly pinching out: no
Harvest5 months	Harvest: no	Harvest: no	Harvest: no	Harvest: no	Harvest: no	Harvest in June	Harvest in July	Harvest in August	Harvest in September	Harvest in October	Harvest: no	Harvest: no

KeySeedlings under coverInstallationWeekly pinching outHarvest

This month October

Growing guidance

Seedling depth: On the surfaceThe seed germinates in light and should not be covered
Germination temperature: 18 to 20 °C
Germination time: 1 to 2 weeks
Spacing: 25 to 30 cmOr several plants set close together to form a clump
Adult height: 20 à 40 cm
Leaf: Very broad, bright greenCupped like a spoon, the traditional pesto variety
Maintenance: One pinch per weekAbove a pair of leaves, as soon as the flower bud appears
Cycle: Annual, frost-tenderIt stops well before the frost
pH in aquaponics: 6.5 to 7.5The usual balance between fish, bacteria and plants
Seed storage: Around 8 yearsCommon reference point for basil, kept dry and away from light

What you need to know

Do not cover basil seed. Laid on the surface and pressed down with your finger, it germinates in 1 to 2 weeks; buried 1 cm deep, it germinates poorly.
Pinch out just above a pair of leaves, not in the middle of an internode. It is the pair of buds in the leaf axil that produces the two new branches.
Sow several seeds in the same spot. A clump of four or five stems is fuller and hardier than a single plant of the same age.
A stem that stretches between two pairs of leaves signals a lack of light, never a lack of fertiliser. The fragrance drops as the spacing increases.
Water at the base and in the morning. Basil tolerates foliage that spends the night wet poorly, and the black spots at the base of the stem almost always start from there.
In aquaponics, basil is happy in a system that is still young. Above all, watch the water temperature: below 15 °C, it stops growing long before showing any visible damage.