Basil
Ocimum basilicum
LamiaceaeCompanion plants for basil
The best companion plants for basil are tomatoes, peppers, beans, cabbage and eggplant. Thyme is best kept away. Of the 15 plants we have data on, 10 are good neighbours, 1 is a bad one and 1 is contested. 9 of these verdicts rest on field trials or research papers; the rest come from traditional companion-planting charts.
- 10 good
- 1 to avoid
- 1 contested
- 9 tested in trials or papers
Neighbours of basil at a glance
Inner rings are backed by trials or papers, outer rings by charts only. Pick a plant to see its sources.
The interactive map needs JavaScript. Every plant on it is listed below with its evidence.
Good companion plants for basil
Biggest harvest gain first, then the plants tested without a yield count. Each row links to the full evidence for the pair.
| Plant | What trials found with basil | Tested by | Garden charts |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bean |
Fewer pests21% more harvest from the same space | Field trial3 studies | Not listed |
 Cabbage |
12% more harvest from the same space | Field trial2 studies | Not listed |
 Tomato |
Helpful plant chemistry, fewer pests and better soil and nutrient uptake7% more harvest from the same space | Field trial6 studies | Recommend |
 Pepper |
Fewer pests and draws in pest-eating insectsMixed results on harvest | Field trial6 studies | Recommend |
 Eggplant |
Draws in pest-eating insects | Greenhouse or pot trial1 study | Not listed |
 Turnip |
Bigger combined harvest | Field trial1 study | Not listed |
 Sweet corn |
Bigger combined harvest | Field trial1 study | Not listed |
 Okra |
Bigger combined harvest | Field trial1 study | Not listed |
Harvest from the same space compares a bed with both crops against the same area split into single-crop beds, counting the harvest of both crops (the land equivalent ratio in yield trials).
Recommended by garden charts, not tested yet
We found no trial or paper on these pairs with basil. They may still work; nobody has measured it.
What not to plant with basil
| Plant | What trials found with basil | Tested by | Garden charts |
|---|---|---|---|
 Thyme |
No trial foundSame family (Lamiaceae): shares pests and diseases | Not tested | Advise against |
Relatives that share pests and diseases
| Plant | What trials found with basil | Tested by | Garden charts |
|---|---|---|---|
 Mint |
No trial foundSame family (Lamiaceae): shares pests and diseases | Not tested | Not listed |
 Sage |
No trial foundSame family (Lamiaceae): shares pests and diseases | Not tested | Not listed |
 Rosemary |
No trial foundSame family (Lamiaceae): shares pests and diseases | Not tested | Not listed |
Contested pairings
The sources disagree, or the charts say one thing and the trials another. Open a pair before you plant it.
| Plant | What trials found with basil | Tested by | Garden charts |
|---|---|---|---|
 Brussels sprouts |
Mixed results on harvest | Field trial1 study | Not listed |
Sources
24 sources behind the verdicts on this page. 6 chart entries cite no source and are marked as tradition only.
Show all 24 sources
Crop Rotation in the Vegetable Garden (Steil · 2025 · Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Yard and Garden)
How Environmental Fluctuations Affect Volatile Emissions from Basil and French Marigold and their Consequences on the Fecundity of the Green Peach Aphid on Pepper Plants. (Gautier H · 2025 · Journal of chemical ecology)
Bush Basil Companion Plants Act as Plant Defense Potentiators for Cultivated Plants. (Rahimian S · 2025 · Journal of agricultural and food chemistry)
Companion basil plants prime the tomato wound response through volatile signaling in a mixed planting system. (Yoshida R · 2024 · Plant cell reports)
Additive intercropping system or acaricides: which one is more efficient to prevent population buildup of two-spotted spider mite? (Rahimi V · 2024 · Environmental entomology)
Biomass production and physiological parameters of intercropped basil-forage turnip as affected by biochar and vermicompost (Monfared RK · 2024 · Research Square)
Co-cultivation of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) with food crops for efficient resource utilization and increasing the farm profits (Kaur P · 2024 · Industrial Crops & Products.)
Experimental dataset of the impact assessment of vegetable intercropping on agroeconomic performances, pests and beneficials, and soil resources. (Perrin B · 2023 · Data in brief)
Pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) suppression on jalapeño pepper using non-host insect repellent plants (Adeleye VO · 2022 · Crop Protection)
Optimizing the Use of Basil as a Functional Plant for the Biological Control of Aphids by Chrysopa pallens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) in Greenhouses. (Fang Y · 2022 · Insects)
Vermicompost Application in Different Intercropping Patterns Improves the Mineral Nutrient Uptake and Essential Oil Compositions of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) (Rezaei-Chiyaneh · 2021)
Parasitoids diversity in organic Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum) associated with Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and Marigold (Tagetes erecta ). (Souza IL · 2019 · Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia)
Agronomic performance and biological efficiency of kale intercropped with spice species (Alves De Araujo Hendges · 2019)
Aromatic plants affect the selection of host tomato plants by Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Carvalho MG · 2017 · Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.)
Influence of neighbouring companion plants on the performance of aphid populations on sweet pepper plants under greenhouse conditions (Ben Issa R · 2017 · Agricultural and Forest Entomology)
Mixed cropping of vegetables to improve organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in small farmer systems (Reynafarje · 2016)
Which companion plants affect the performance of green peach aphid on host plants? Testing of 12 candidate plants under laboratory conditions (Ben Issa R · 2016 · Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.)
The intercropping partner affects arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interactions in tomato (Hage-Ahmed · 2013 · Mycorrhiza)
Companion planting: Myth or reality? (2010 · Utah Pests News)
Yield, pest density, and tomato flavour effects of companion planting in garden-scale studies incorporating tomato, basil, and Brussels sprout. (Bomford · 2004 · Organic eprints)
Companion Plants (Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
Companion planting: A method for sustainable pest control (Riesselman · Iowa State University)
Same family (Lamiaceae): Mint, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Rosemary.
What grows well with your basil?
Share what worked next to your basil and what did not, or ask other growers a question. Reader notes are not checked by us and do not change the verdicts on this page.