Our Price: $8.25
Culinary
Aroma
Container
Pollinator
IndoorOcimum basilicum
Light: Full sun
Temperature: Annual
Watering: Keep soil moist, do not let soil get too dry.
Soil: Light, well drained soil. If need you can use Plant Feed once a month.
Comments: never prune more than 50% of your plant's leaves, this could cause too much stress on your basil plant. Continuous trimming avoids these annuals going to seed; allowing your plant to focus more on producing foliage than blooms!
Basil 'Amethyst' is a dark purple, almost black, version of the dark green, Genovese' Basil. Grown for its ornamental qualities, 'Amethyst' brings a beautiful contrast to any garden and looks great in a container or decorative pot. This herb's aromatic leaves bruise easily, so when harvesting, pick carefully.
Medicinally, Basil is known to soothe upset stomachs and makes a refreshing hot or iced tea.
Amethyst basil is a great culinary companion and substitute for sweeter varieties of Basil, 'Amethyst' makes a great seasoning for pastas, pizzas, and sauces as well as eaten raw with olive oil, mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Try using its beautiful deep purple leaves for garnishes, too! Because 'Amethyst' is not cold tolerant in temperatures below fifty degrees, grow this Basil indoors throughout the winter and you can cook with it year round!
A wonderful natural pest deterrent for aphids, mosquitoes and more, Basil also makes a great companion plant for many vegetable crops.
Basil is a wonderful plant to plant near your kitchen windows or doorways, not just for its use in your favorite dishes, but because this culinary herb has terrific natural pest repellent properties! Said to effectively keep house flies and mosquitoes away, planting Basil near entryways to your home, rubbing it on your skin and clothing, and planting it around your yard and patio will help reduce the amount of unwanted summer pests. Planting it in your garden will also keep destructive pests like Thrips, white flies, and aphids away from neighboring plants. Basil blooms are also very attractive to butterflies and other useful pollinators.
Basil is said to increase the health and flavor of many vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, cabbage and especially tomato plants when companion planted together. For best results, do not plant Sage or Rue near your Basil, as this is said to inhibit the plant's growth and flavor. Instead, grow Chamomile near your Basil plants to encourage its success.
Variety is the spice of life! Make sure to label your different varieties of herbs, like our Basil 'Amethyst', with our Copper Plant Markers, to keep each kind in mind!
