Basil bitterness

Question

I have some basil that has flowered in the past. I trimmed the flowers off – will the basil eventually produce leaves that are not bitter, or now that the plant has flowered, are all future leaves doomed to that bitter taste as well?

Answer 1

Flowering and going to seed does make basil leaves bitter, as explained here:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/basil/bitter-tasting-basil.htm

Trimming your basil plants back to above the bottom two sets of leaves may make your basil less bitter when it regrows. It's not guaranteed, but it's worth a try. Avoiding overwatering and underwatering can also improve the flavor of your basil.