African Blue basil is an aromatic and decorative herb created from Dark Opal basil (Ocimum basilicum) and camphor basil … Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring — all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. Though its growth slowed for a couple months, it perked right up in spring and thrived into a wild-looking shrub. Today's spotlight is on African Blue Basil. The shrub grows up to 6 feet (2 m.) tall and looks a little weedy. It’s so beautiful and fragrant and yes, a huge bee attractant! Traditionally, and commercially today, African basil is grown for its oils, which are used in flavorings and insect repellant. Potential applications in diabetes and hepatic and cardiovascular disease have been suggested, but there is no … I’d overwinter it in the house, as I don’t know how warm an unheated greenhouse would be in the middle of winter. The first species is Ocimum kilimandscharicum, which is also known as ‘camphor basil.’ While the second species is Ocimum basilicum; this is the same species as the common sweet basil, but it is a different cultivar known as ‘dark opal.’ The latin name for African blue basil is Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum ‘Dark Opal’. It is important to note that the leaves carry a strong flavor and should be used in moderation not to overpower a dish. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. You will love the powerful flavors from this basil vinaigrette! There are perennial basil species that are naturally long-lived and that will do much better indoors, thriving over the entire winter in bright light. African Blue basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum “Dark Opal”) is a sterile hybrid of an East African camphor basil and a standard garden variety called Dark Opal. African Blue Basil, Ocimum, Edible Plant, Herb, Nectar Plant, Honey Bees, Native Bees VincentGardens. Combine with various types of pastas, salads and chicken. It’s very easy to root as well! Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in TIME, Outside, HGTV, and Food & Wine. New foliage starts out a deep purple but as the leaves mature, they become bright green, retaining only flecks of purple. Search from African Blue Basil stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The shrub grows up to 6 feet (2 m.) tall and looks a little weedy. Although edible, the flavor may not be appealing to those who are familiar with more traditional basil flavors. If you want a bushier basil, you can pinch it off and use the edible flower stems as a soup or salad garnish… float them in a glass of iced tea… or sprinkle the buds over roasted potatoes. They are a great low cost way to fill a lot of space. Some of my blooms grow over 10 inches tall and I arrange them all over my house in fragrant mini bouquets. Basil, usually used for certain foods. This plant is often available in plug trays. I love this plant because it attracts bees and butterflies. African Blue Basil is one of the hardiest basils but it still will not survive the winter if it is too harsh. Though its growth slowed for a couple months, it perked right up in spring and thrived into a wild-looking shrub. I’ve never heard of African Blue Basil before. African Blue Basil, Organic, Edible, Perennial, Attracts Pollinators 4 Cuttings. We usually have mild winters, but cannot guarantee a few frosts. My mum very kindly bought me my first African Blue basil in spring. It can easily be grown indoors. Light to moderate water, once established. Plants produce abundant flowers that are pink with a dark purple base, although flowers are sterile so no seeds will be formed. African blue basil is a hybrid of two different basil plants that has inherited a camphor flavor from one of its parents. Quick to make African blue basil vinaigrette. How to Prune, Harvest, and Eat Fava Bean Leaves and Flowers, Know When to Grow: A Planting Calendar for Your Garden, Fish Pepper: A Peculiar Pepper With Deep Roots in African-American History, The Other Stuff You Can Compost (Besides Kitchen Scraps), Make the Best Seed Starting Mix for Dirt Cheap (It’s Organic Too), Perlite vs. Vermiculite: How and Why to Use Them, Peruvian Pink Peppercorns: A Surprising Backyard Forage. It is cultivated for oil production and exported and used to make bug sprays. I’ll give it a go. This basil produces sterile seed, so the only way to grow is through cuttings or starter plants. It is related to the common basil that flavors so many dishes but grows as a shrub rather than a leafy herb. However, the fact that basil is not only used for that alone. That of African blue basil may have a bit more camphor than other basils, but not enough to dominate its flavor. 99. I now have a African basil plant that is now in its 7 Th year. Cultivation. If rosemary and clove had a basil baby, it would be African Blue. Hello, I know I am very late on this post, but I hope it still gets seen. I’ve taken several clippings from my first basil plant, and now have a bunch growing around my garden. The flowers are very decorative. Garden Betty independently selects products to feature on this site. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. I love the flavor, I makes boat loads of pesto for friends and family. ECHO is an organiz… July 30, 2014 by ohmydish 2 Comments. It flowers almost year-round with pretty purple and lavender buds on long stems, but never bolts and tastes just as lovely as it looks and smells. African blue basil is one of the very best pollinator plants you can add to your garden, food forest, or edible landscaping plans. $11.99 shipping. Your Basil photos are beautiful. It is very cold tolerant and the only basil that does well in the San Francisco fog. African Basil, Basil African, Ocimum Canum (Organic) (100 seeds per pack) The first fall it looked so wonderful and big I decided to dig it out of the garden and pot it into a 16 ceramic pot.It has continued to do very well and each spring it goes back out on the patio. The herb has a strong, earthy basil flavor with a mellow camphor scent. It has lovely pink flowers and a deep musky clove flavor. This variety is often referred to as an accidental hybrid. As an edible herb, the leaves are used to flavor dishes or cooked like a green. Yep, a perennial basil. I’m on the hunt here in Washington now! African Blue Basil is a shrubby type basil plant which can get up to 4 feet high and across. This group includes African blue basil (O. I may receive a commission when you buy something through one of my links. Also known as clove basil and African basil, the African blue basil plant (Ocimum gratissimum) is a perennial shrub grown for a hedge or for medicinal and culinary uses. Propagated only through cuttings, African Blue survived an unusually cold and wet winter outside in my zone 10b (Sunset zone 24). From shop VincentGardens. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. African blue basil care requires the best conditions; full sun, loamy soil that is rich in nutrients and well-drained, and moderate humidity and soil moisture. I think it split during a storm and I thought it was done for…but it just grew more stems and got even bigger. Basil is a plant that you can find in Africa and Asia. © Garden Betty 2010-2021. You will receive - 1 African Blue Basil Herb Plant in a 50 X 75mm tube - General growing instructions All of our Herb Plants are grown organically with certified organic potting mixes and fertilizers. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more ». All Rights Reserved. How awesome! African Blue Basil Border Position: Container Garden Soil Type: Broad Tolerance Site: Full Sun: Moisture: Well-drained Height: 75cm (30in) Spacing: 30cm (12in) Sowing, Seeds, Planting: Protect plants from frost in a sheltered environment whilst you pot them on ready to … It has both edible and medicinal uses. It is a cross between Dark Opal Basil and African Camphor Basil. My own basil has never been subjected to temps under 45-50F, so I’d say that’s a safe range. African blue basil is a hybrid of two basils that has inherited a camphor flavor from one of its parents. I have one of these and it got huge! African Blue Basil Plants. Thank you Amy! The right growing environment for African basil is subtropical and tropical with some humidity. Add to salads, City, Containers, Drying, Flavouring food and drinks, Foliage only. 1-16 of 369 results for "african blue basil plant" 3 Plants of Perennial African Blue Basil ~ Custom Made to Order ~ 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. How Do You Know When You've Mastered Gardening? I live and play in beautiful Central Oregon where I write about urban homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring — all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. Basil grows best in full sun locations with moist, well-drained soil. A must for beekeepers and additionally the leaves make a very tasty pesto. Not to be confused with the more common sweet basil, all parts of the flower, leaves and stems ARE edible of this ornamental basil. African Blue Basil, sometimes referred to as African Basil, Dark Opal Basil or Opal Basil, is a beautiful, bushy plant. Please plant your cuttings as soon as they arrive. Living in Denver I won’t take a chance of trying to leave it outside because of frost. One of my favorite herbs sits in my perennial herb bed, and it’s a basil. You can trim and shape it to look tidier though. There are limited clinical data to support a place in therapy for O. gratissimum; however, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity has been demonstrated in vitro and in animal models. Suggested uses. I have to admit that I’m rather spoiled now. Different varieties vary in aroma and flavor: thyme, lemon thyme, and clove. What Are The Varieties Of Basil: Types Of Basil For Cooking, Types Of Thyme Plants: Varieties Of Thyme For The Garden, Spicing It Up With Exotic Culinary Herbs: Exotic Herbs To Grow In Your Garden, Brown Spots On Knockout Rose Bush: Reasons For Knockout Roses Turning Brown, What Are Helianthemum Plants – Sunrose Care Tips And Information, Watching Football In The Backyard – Hosting A Super Bowl Party In Your Garden, Natural Wreath Ideas: How To Make A Pinecone Wreath With Acorns, Backyard Storage Space: Making A Spot For Backyard Storage, Covid Gardening Masks – What Are The Best Masks For Gardeners, DIY Air Plant Wreaths: Wreath Making With Air Plants, Bring It On - Why I Want To Be A Ferocactus. Details 'African Blue' is a short-lived perennial to about 75cm, with dark green leaves, flushed purple when young, with a strong, camphor scent. Usually ships within 3 to 5 weeks. It’s a kitchen gardener’s dream! African Blue Basil is a cross between Dark Opal Basil and Camphor Basil. ‘African Blue’), holy basil (O. tenuiflorum) and lemon basil (O. x citriodorum), including the popular variegated form, O. x c. ‘Pesto Currently, the bees and I are enjoying eating it, but I am looking for some help on how to overwinter it. http://www.Herbfest.net sells over 30 varieties of basil herb plants. African Blue Basil is one of the six plants chosen to be in our Edible Flower Herb Garden Six Pack. About African Basil Plants. Positive For a workhorse of a plant, this is a good choice. However, now you can find basil in Italy, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. I believe the secret to a good life is... Read more. It will not survive a cold winter and too much moisture affects the amount and quality of oil the leaves produce. Plant as an annual in light, well-drained, fertile soil in a sheltered position in full sun. African Blue basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum Dark Opal) is a sterile hybrid of an East African camphor basil and a standard garden variety called Dark Opal. Where did you find it, or order the seeds from? Sign up for our newsletter. Native to Africa and South Asia, African blue basil plants have long been grown for the medicinal and culinary uses of the leaves. I had never seen so many bees on one plant! The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook is my latest book. Would it be better to overwinter it in the house, or in an unheated greenhouse? It is related to the common basil that flavors so many dishes but grows as a shrub rather than a leafy herb. I never even knew such a thing existed until I found my African Blue at a nursery. African blue basil is a perennial hybrid basil that was created by crossing two basil species. Full sun to partial shade. The clock stops ticking at the flowering stage of its life. I bought this plant when I went on a trip to Fort Meyers to visit ECHO. Learn how your comment data is processed. Thank you. Since African blue basil never produces seed, its biological clock comes to a standstill. I’ve rooted and planted so many cuttings of my basil all over my yard. I use a blend of basil but this is the predominant basil in the blend. Botanical Name: Ocimum kilimandscharicum × basilicum 'Dark Opal' All information provided on this website is for informational purposes only. They can look a little wilted do to shipping but they are fairly resilient and should start coming back in a couple weeks once the roots get establish. It produces fuzzy purple leaves that turn green as the leaves grow to full size. And in the house, it is less likely to be a bit neglected over winter. Ocimum 'African Blue' (Basil 'African Blue') will reach a height of 0.6m and a spread of 0.6m after 1-2 years. Basil oil contains a number of components. Genus Ocimum can be aromatic annuals, evergreen perennials or shrubs with opposite, linear to broadly-ovate leaves and small tubular white or pinkish flowers in whorls forming a spike . Each cell is 3/4 of inch by an inch. It holds up well, flavor does not diminish with freezing for up to 12 months. These trays hold 128 of all the same plant. Since this breed of basil doesn’t go to seed, you can let the flowers bloom all they want, and the plant will still keep going strong for many years. I raise 7 types of basil. Finding info in my zone for this plant has not proven all that easy, so I hope that someone can advise me. African Blue basil leaves can also be mixed into pasta, stuffed into sandwiches, used as a pizza topping, substituted as a flavorful twist in caprese, or integrated into desserts. And since it just likes to grow and grow, it benefits from as large a container as you can give it. It is sterile and won’t produce seeds so it is reproduced using propagation. I pick fresh basil in my garden year-round. I live in the Netherlands, in zone 8. Some people might find the camphor scent too strong for use in the kitchen, but people tell … Considered a tender perennial, it probably won’t live through frost, but overwinters well if grown in a container indoors. Some of the other potential medicinal uses include treating: If you have the right climate, or are willing to overwinter your plant inside, African basil is nice to grow for its fragrance and edible leaves. Other common names African blue basil . I found the basil at my local nursery in Los Angeles, but you can also order online from Richters in Canada. Basil 'African Blue' When I first saw ‘African Blue’ basil in bloom, I was amazed. African blue basil vinaigrette. Although edible, the flavor may not be appealing to those who are familiar with more traditional basil flavors. African blue basil was first seen in 1983 when Peter Borchard, owner of Companion Plants in Athens, Ohio, noticed it growing in the path between beds of the two presumed parents. African Blue is one of the easier ones here in South Georgia. One of the famous basil is the health benefits of African blue basil. African blue basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum ×basilicum 'Dark opal') is one of the most cold-tolerant breeds of basil, leading to it being called a perennial, though in fact all basils are perennial as long as the weather is warm year-round.It is a sterile hybrid of two other breeds of basil, unable to produce seeds of its own, and is propagated by cuttings. Take care if growing outside in a region where the conditions are right for it to thrive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Propagated only through cuttings, African Blue survived an unusually cold and wet winter outside in my zone 10b (Sunset zone 24). It will grow … $16.99 $ 16. In its native Africa, the plant is also well-known for several medicinal uses, including as an insect repellant. Family Lamiaceae . Life Is Like The Mother Of Thousands Succulent, What’s Your Plant Story: American Oak Tree Planting In Basque Country. African Blue Basil Herb Plants produce purple-veined leaves with a strong, earthy flavor and a warm, sweet camphor scent. This plant can become invasive and spread rapidly in disturbed areas. The leaves can also be used to make tea and the oils extracted to make clove or thyme oil. Native to Africa and South Asia, African blue basil plants have long been grown for the medicinal and culinary uses of the leaves. It does not make a mature seed and die, as most plants are programmed to do.
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