Herb - Basil Purple Ruffles

The Basil Purple Ruffles, 'Ocimum basilicum', is a beautiful form of basil that grows about 1 1/2 feet high and has ruffled jagged leaves. The scent and flavor are slightly different from sweet basil with more licorice and cinnamon flavor. Purple Ruffles Basil can grow in shadier areas than sweet basil but still needs about 3 hours of sun per day. It is excellent for both culinary or ornamental uses in the garden or containers. Purple Ruffles can be finiky because it needs a very uniform spot where it is not too hot, too cold, or too dry. Purple Ruffles has beautiful lavender pink flowers which are edible also. Basil is used in so many foods, it is hard to mention them all. It is used in Italian foods and pesto and pasta sauces. Fresh basil makes a nice tea, an excellent vinegar, and tastes great fresh with fish, poultry, rice, mild vegetables, eggplant and many others. Plant 1 to 2 weeks after the last average frost date. Place the Basil seeds in well drained soil with lots of organic matter. To harvest, cut about a third of the branch from the top, down to where a new set of leaves is beginning to grow. ... more