Purple basil plant grow and care – herbaceous type of basil of the genus Ocimum also known as Purple ruffles basil, Purple 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+.
Leaves color mostly purple but sometime green-purple with purple stems
Flower color purple, small flowers grow on inflorescence
Not too hot or moist, space from other plants, well drained soil
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 Purple basil?
Not necessary but possible vegetative reproduction
Difficulties or problems when growing:
Sensitive plant
Recommended planting season?
Spring
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.
Bloom season:
Summer to autumn
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
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 Purple basil leaves:
Pesto, Spice
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
Sowing requirement:
Easy to sow no special demand
Saving seeds until sowing:
Room temperature, dry
Sowing season:
Spring after the last frost
Planting spacing:
15-25 cm 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:
5-17 days
Condition of seedling:
Well drained soil
Do the seeds require burying?
No
Ocimum basilicum ‘Purple basil’
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