Basil, green and purple

[Susan W]

I have the regular green basil, both from seed and bought starts.

Now for the purple, opal and ruffles started from seed. The ruffles sprouting coming up purple and real leaves ruffly. The opal doesn't know it's supposed to be purple! Most coming up green with the opal leave style/shape. This is green with no hint of purple! I was hoping to offer purple basil with my herbs to sell, but this defies that option.

What does yours do?

[applestar]

Someone posted... Last summer I think... That the Opal easily crosses with the green and is often no longer true. Last year, 1/2 of them turned out green with purple splotches. I think someone said Amethyst is better. I think I bought some seeds but haven't started them yet so I'l find out later this year.

[Susan W]

My opal starts all have the same structure, very distinct. Just that most of them green, and a few all purple. I am thinking about the selling. Potential customer asks. Yes they are purple basil, and yes they are green. But they're not green basil. Huh?

Don't worry, they'll get used! I may use some of these around the bird bath, mostly sun. I can let some go to flower/seed as butterfly/bee attractors. I had planned to put some purple there, and will just put my green aka purple opal there!

Clear as, well, green and purple....

[Odd Duck]

For what it's worth, my Purple Ruffles basil starts were rather inconsistently colored, also. I just picked the most purple plant (since all seemed equal as far as flavor/scent) and will continue to propagate that one vegetatively. Of course, I'm very small scale, only for my own use and a few friends. I don't know if it was the batch of seed I got or if that's typical of purple basils in general.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

[keskat]

My 2 cents - I just started 3 dark purple opal basils - all germinated, all purple. Actually, they even popped up a bit sooner than any of my greens ever did.

[rainbowgardener]

When I grew purple opal in the past, it was very purple. I haven't been able to find the seeds the past couple years, from any of the places I order from. Maybe there's some problem with purple opal seeds that's making them harder to find and less consistent? Anyway I've grown Red Rubin the past couple years instead, but don't like it as well and it is finicky to grow.

[wisconsingal]

Last year I grew green and opal in the same container and found many of the opal leaves were sort of half green/half purple.

[lily51]

I start 8 or so different basils each year for my greenhouse. I've never had any problems with the colors being true. Since it is an annual, there's no carry-over from winter to see if any have crossed.
One of my favorites is purple ruffles,love the color, aroma and flavor.

[digitS']

I have Ararat basil again this year. Some of these, just seem like ornamental choices. Altho' Opal is a prettier plant than Ararat. And that would be true whether Opal is brightly purple or not. Just my opinion, of course . . .

The Italian and Thai basils fill most kitchen needs. There are the others to brighten the out of doors !

But, I'm not much of a cook .

Steve

[gixxerific]

I grew dark opal last year and will again this year. It was very purple when going good I can't remember if it was at the beginning. I want to say that it wasn't and I was a upset at this. But it was very purple later on though I wasn't fond of the flavor. I did use it mainly in my flower beds and even as an accent to my flower arrangements I brought inside. The flowers on them are great accents.

Now if you want to talk flavor try some cinnamon or licorice basil. They are to die for.