African blue basil
| African blue basil | |
|---|---|
Ocimum basilicum | |
| Cultivar | 'Dark Opal' |
| Origin | Peter Borchard, Companion Plants, Athens, Ohio, 1983[1] |
African blue basil (
This particular breed of basil has a strong
All parts of the flower, leaves and stems are edible; although some might find the camphor scent too strong for use in the kitchen, the herb reportedly yields a tasty pesto with a "rich, mellow flavor" and can be used as a seasoning in soups and salads, particularly those featuring tomato, green beans, chicken, etc.[1]
The leaves of African blue basil start out purple when young, only growing green as the given leaf grows to its full size, and even then retaining purple veins. Based on other purple basils, the color is from anthocyanins, especially cyanidin-3-(di-p-coumarylglucoside)-5-glucoside, but also other cyanidin-based and peonidin-based compounds.[3]
It blooms profusely like an annual, but being sterile can never go to seed. It is also taller than many basil cultivars. These blooms are very good at attracting bees and other pollinators.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Pam Peirce, Special to The Chronicle (July 23, 2005). "PLANT OF THE WEEK: African blue basil; There's a new basil on the (foggy San Francisco) block". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. F–7.
- ^ "Ocimum kilimandscharicum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 12 December 2017. Gives as its source Economic Botany 28:63 (1974).
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9615027-0-6.