Basil
Purple basil
Purple basil: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Purple basil encompasses cultivars of Ocimum basilicum with foliage in shades of violet, purple or dark reddish purple. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae, alongside familiar herbs such as mint and sage. The name does not identify a single variety: two purple basils may differ in both appearance and aroma. Their appeal combines a culinary herb with colourful foliage, giving them a presence in a vegetable garden as well as in an arrangement of containers.The leaves grow in opposite pairs on branching stems. Depending on the cultivar, they may be broad or relatively narrow, smooth, gently rippled or strongly ruffled. ‘Purple Ruffles’, for example, illustrates the forms with deeply textured leaves and fringed edges. Colour can also differ between individual plants. Some purple basils display green patches or a mixture of colours across their foliage. The term purple therefore does not guarantee completely uniform colouring, nor does it describe…
