purple basil seedlings

[rainbowgardener]

Last year I grew Purple Ruffles basil and loved it for the incredibly deep color and intense flavor. I collected seed from it, but it is hybrid. So I now have a dozen seedlings, I guess you would call it F1 generation. They have true leaves now, so I can get a sense of what they will be. Of the dozen 5 are basically totally purple with a teeny green edge on the cotyledons. 2 are totally green. The other 5 are various mixtures/ variegations with splotches of green and purple.

I think it is really interesting and will be fun to see how they grow out and if there are flavor/ fragrance differences as well as color.

[applestar]

Sounds like Mendelian experiment in action.

I have heard that basils are "promiscuous" and cross easily so they could be crosses of your own purples and greens. It would be interesting to see what happens if you save seeds from each type.

[Susan W]

I have found the purple basils, any variety, tend to be unstable. If growing for own use is fine. I haven't given up, but also not too proud to buy purple basil starts from the box store!

[rainbowgardener]

I didn't have any trouble with the commercial Purple Ruffles seed I planted last year. They all came out really dark purple. IME they don't like as much sun as the greens.

[skiingjeff]

I didn't have any trouble with the commercial Purple Ruffles seed I planted last year. They all came out really dark purple. IME they don't like as much sun as the greens.

We planted purple opal basil last year and our very hot and sunny garden area was a bit too much for it It does seem to like less sun than the green variety. We don't have much shade in our yard at all.

Maybe it is the type we planted, but we weren't too fond of the purple ones. Maybe next year we'll try it again once we find an area with less sun.

[imafan26]

The purple ones are supposed to have the highest antioxidants. I have not grown rufflies but I have grown Dark Opal.

[digitS']

I believe your plants last year were the F1, Rainbow'.

I really have no interest in purple basil for the kitchen altho' some folks claim it is a very good choice for drying.

Still, I have Opal every year. The variable nature of that variety is appreciated in my mixed borders. Very pretty plants.

Steve