Ocimum basilicum Seeds | Dark Opal Basil
LATIN NAME: Ocimum basilicum
COMMON NAME: Dark Opal Basil
Plant Profile
Ocimum basilicum, better known as Dark Opal Basil, is a herb in the mint family. Leaves are a fine, bold presence of kitchen garden, pot and salad bowl, giving colour and flavour together. It is a plant of open, sunny, well-drained ground. Gardeners value it precisely for this blend of qualities.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Ocimum basilicum ranges from the botany of the mint family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Dark opal basil is a bold, aromatic subject of plant science, studied for deep-purple leaves and chemistry of the scent. For practical purposes the message is encouraging: generations of cultivation have produced plants of predictable, well-mannered garden character.
Uses & Benefits
Dark Opal Basil works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Dark opal basil is a bold, generous plant of kitchen garden and the pot. Purple leaves also carry good looks of border, holding their colour through warm season. A plant that has settled in will get along with only routine care.
Basil is the royal herb: sweet basil perfumes the world’s kitchens, while holy basil, tulsi, is Ayurveda’s most revered adaptogen tea, studied for stress and metabolic support. Basil’s eugenol and linalool give the genus genuine antimicrobial chemistry.
Growing from Seed
Sow fresh seed of Dark Opal Basil under ordinary good conditions. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
Dark Opal Basil earns its space through character rather than fuss. Once the young plants are away, there is little left to do but watch them grow.
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