Fusarium wilt of basil (Ocimum basilicum) was first detected in a commercial greenhouse in South Carolina in April 1992. Four isolates of Fusarium oxysporum from sweet or bush (cv. Minimum) basil were pathogenic on these hostsin greenhouse tests. Height and leaf area of inoculated sweet basil plants were reduced by 30 and 40%, respectively, compared with noninoculated plants. F. oxysporum reduced fresh weights of sweet and lemon basil (cv. Citriodorum) but had no effect on six other herbs in the family Lamiaceae