Item Details
(O. basilicum) Beautiful lilac flowers with dark red stems. Excellent contrast with green basil. Spectacular as a garnish, in salads, or for adding color to basil vinegars. Very uniform, all purple Italian strain. Annual.
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors when soil is warm and temperature does not drop below 65°F. Can also be started indoors 4-6 weeks before planting out. Make successive sowings for continuous summer supplies. Pinch back flower stalks as they appear to keep plants from bolting. Prefers rich well-drained soil.
Dark opal basil is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum, developed by John Scarchuk and Joseph Lent at the University of Connecticut in the 1950s. With deep purple, sometimes mottled leaves, it is grown as much for its decorative appeal as for its culinary value.
Scientific name: Ocimum basilicum 'Purpurascens'
Higher classification: Basil
Rank: Cultivar
Origin: John Scarchuk and Joseph Lent, University of Connecticut, 1950s
