How to grow Dark opal basil

Dark opal basil grow and care – herbaceous‎ type of basil of the genus Ocimum also known as Opal basil, Dark opal basil annual plant used as edible plant for the leaves also used as ornamental plant and it’s fragrant, can grow in tropic, subtropical, mediterranean or temperate climate and growing in hardiness zone 5+.

Dark opal basil leaves

Leaves color mostly purple but sometime green purple with purple stems

Flower color purple, small flowers grow on inflorescence

Dark opal basil for sale – Seeds or Plants to Buy

Buy Now in E-bay

How to grow Dark opal basil growing and care:

Not too hot or moist, space from other plants

How to care:
Add more water in hot summer days, fertilizer 2-4 year, put organic matter, prune once a year and consider to prune the bloom stems

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed / Vegetative Reproduction

Is it necessary use vegetative reproduction in Dark opal basil?
Not necessary but possible vegetative reproduction

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Sensitive plant

Recommended planting season?
Spring but possible in the summer

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, prodenia

Pruning season:
All the season

How to prune:
Necessary to prune thin brunch, and blooms

Size of the plant?
20-40 cm, 8-16 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half Shade

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a pot / planter /flowerpot / containers:
Yes, when grow in container, size 5-12 liter (1.5-3 gallon) amount of water that needed, it’s to keep the soil moist and the water go out of the pot, better not to use bottom of pot, soil need to be well ventilated with good drainage, rich with organic matter, can us in potting mix or peat soil with perlite or vermiculite.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Summer

General information about the flower
Small purple flower that grow on inflorescence

Thinning the bloom:
Should thinning the inflorescence when they start to bloom, all the strength of the plant go to the blossom

Pollination is done by:
Bees and more pollinators

Edible leaves

Leaves harvesting season:
All the season after the plants is fully grown

How to harvest the leaves?
Trim branches but leave few buds on the branch

Information about leaves:
oval leaves and serrate in the edge, the color can be purple or green purple

Uses of Dark opal basil leaves:
Pesto, Spice

Vegetative Reproduction

Vegetative Reproduction Method:
Stems / cutting

Preferred time for vegetative reproduction:
Spring. Early summer

Time to grow roots in vegetative reproduction:
1-2 weeks

Treatment for vegetative reproduction:
Put in glass of water and change the water every few days

How to grow Dark opal basil from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Easy to sow no special demand

Saving seeds until sowing:
Room temperature, dry

Sowing season:
Spring after the last frost

Planting spacing:
15*20 cm (6*8 inches) direct sowing

Depth of Sowing:
0.4-0.6 cm

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Moist, full sun

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water

Germination time:
7-14 days

Condition of seedling:
Well drained soil

Scientific name:

Ocimum basilicum ‘Dark opal basil’

How to grow Dark opal basil

Harvest Dark opal basil

Growing Dark opal basil

Dark opal basil

Categories

Blooming Seasons
  • Summer flowers
Edible Parts
  • Edible leaves
Culinary uses
  • Eaten raw
  • Herbs
  • Salad
  • Spices
Climate
  • Mediterranean Climate
  • Subtropics Climate
  • Temperate Climate
  • Tropics Climate
Harvest Season
  • Autumn Harvest
  • Spring Harvest
  • Summer Harvest
Leaf color
  • Purple leaf
Ornamental parts
  • Ornamental leaves
  • Ornamental plant
Plant growing speed
  • Average growing plants
  • Fast growing plants
Plant life-form
  • Annual plant
  • Herbaceous
Plant Uses
  • Colored leaves
  • Edible plants
  • Fragrance
  • Ornamental plants
Planting Season
  • Spring Planting
Plants sun exposure
  • Full sun Plants
  • Part shade Plants
Watering plants
  • Regularly water
Hardiness zone
  • Hardiness zone 10
  • Hardiness zone 11
  • Hardiness zone 12
  • Hardiness zone 13
  • Hardiness zone 5
  • Hardiness zone 6
  • Hardiness zone 7
  • Hardiness zone 8
  • Hardiness zone 9