African Blue Basil + Hollyhocks 2
African Blue Basil 🌿 In My Garden
This basil has flowers all year round. This particular plant has survived for four years so far. Each year it has more flowers. Cutting or picking out exhausted flower stalks keeps it blooming heavily. I cover it during winter freezes in Tucson, Arizona.
Family:Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus:Ocimum (OSS-ih-mum) (Info)
Cultivar:African Blue
Additional cultivar information:(aka Kasar)
Mountain Valley Growers in California says:
"Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum purpureum"
"All basils make tasty flowers, but African Blue Basil's flowers are pink with a dark purple calyx instead of the usual white flower with a green calyx found on most Basils, making them attractive, and tasty, for salads, drinks or garnishes.
Because African Blue Basil is sterile and never makes a seed, flower stems are longer, up to 18 inches, and bloom time is until frost. Individual flowers can be plucked from the stem or whole stem segments can be used for a dramatic addition to a culinary bouquet.
Add African Blue Basil Flowers to sour cream for baked potatoes, top your favorite pasta dish with them or float them in ice trays and add to ginger ale, champagne or white wine spritzers.
African Blue Basil is more suited to indoor growing than most basils. If you want to over winter the plant, either grow it through the summer in a pot and move it in before frost or grow it in the ground and take tip cuttings in early fall. These are easily started in a glass of water (change the water every day) and then transferred to a pot for the winter.
Basils do not dry well, but leaves and flowers can be pureed with olive oil and frozen for winter use. Use about 3 cups leaves to 1/3 cup olive oil and store flat in small resealable bags.
Cultural Information
Height: 2 Feet
Hardiness: Zone 10,
Grow as an annual in other zones
Flower Color: Pink
Characteristics: Full Sun - I add: It likes a bit of afternoon shade on very hot summer days.
Uses: Culinary, Fragrant,
Ornamental"
www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/ocikilimanscharium.htm
_____________________________________
Also see Daves Garden (Read Dave's readers' comments too):
davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1148/
Family:Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus:Ocimum (OSS-ih-mum) (Info)
Cultivar:African Blue
Additional cultivar information:(aka Kasar)
2 vendors have this plant for sale.9 members have or want this plant for trade.
Category:
Herbs
Perennials
Foliage Color: Burgundy
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Flowers are fragrant
Water Requirements: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Where to Grow: This plant is suitable for growing indoors
Height: 18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness: Not Applicable
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Danger:Unknown - Tell us
Bloom Color: Violet/Lavender
Bloom Time: Mid Summer, Late Summer, Early, Mid, and Late Fall Blooms all year in Tucson Arizona.
Foliage: Veined Green
Unknown - Tell us
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: From herbaceous stem cuttings
Seed Collecting: N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Phoenix, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona (That's me...:))
Castro Valley, California
National City, California
San Diego, California
San Pedro, California
Sunnyvale, California
Jacksonville, Florida
Kissimmee, Florida
Niceville, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Riverview, Florida
Rockledge, Florida
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Vero Beach, Florida
Winter Springs, Florida
Guyton, Georgia
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
Derwood, Maryland
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Averill Park, New York
Beaumont, Texas
Belton, Texas
New Braunfels, Texas
Richmond, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Yoakum, Texas
:: IMG_4838 - Version
African Blue Basil + Hollyhocks 2
African Blue Basil 🌿 In My Garden
This basil has flowers all year round. This particular plant has survived for four years so far. Each year it has more flowers. Cutting or picking out exhausted flower stalks keeps it blooming heavily. I cover it during winter freezes in Tucson, Arizona.
Family:Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus:Ocimum (OSS-ih-mum) (Info)
Cultivar:African Blue
Additional cultivar information:(aka Kasar)
Mountain Valley Growers in California says:
"Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum purpureum"
"All basils make tasty flowers, but African Blue Basil's flowers are pink with a dark purple calyx instead of the usual white flower with a green calyx found on most Basils, making them attractive, and tasty, for salads, drinks or garnishes.
Because African Blue Basil is sterile and never makes a seed, flower stems are longer, up to 18 inches, and bloom time is until frost. Individual flowers can be plucked from the stem or whole stem segments can be used for a dramatic addition to a culinary bouquet.
Add African Blue Basil Flowers to sour cream for baked potatoes, top your favorite pasta dish with them or float them in ice trays and add to ginger ale, champagne or white wine spritzers.
African Blue Basil is more suited to indoor growing than most basils. If you want to over winter the plant, either grow it through the summer in a pot and move it in before frost or grow it in the ground and take tip cuttings in early fall. These are easily started in a glass of water (change the water every day) and then transferred to a pot for the winter.
Basils do not dry well, but leaves and flowers can be pureed with olive oil and frozen for winter use. Use about 3 cups leaves to 1/3 cup olive oil and store flat in small resealable bags.
Cultural Information
Height: 2 Feet
Hardiness: Zone 10,
Grow as an annual in other zones
Flower Color: Pink
Characteristics: Full Sun - I add: It likes a bit of afternoon shade on very hot summer days.
Uses: Culinary, Fragrant,
Ornamental"
www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/ocikilimanscharium.htm
_____________________________________
Also see Daves Garden (Read Dave's readers' comments too):
davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1148/
Family:Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus:Ocimum (OSS-ih-mum) (Info)
Cultivar:African Blue
Additional cultivar information:(aka Kasar)
2 vendors have this plant for sale.9 members have or want this plant for trade.
Category:
Herbs
Perennials
Foliage Color: Burgundy
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Flowers are fragrant
Water Requirements: Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Where to Grow: This plant is suitable for growing indoors
Height: 18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness: Not Applicable
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Danger:Unknown - Tell us
Bloom Color: Violet/Lavender
Bloom Time: Mid Summer, Late Summer, Early, Mid, and Late Fall Blooms all year in Tucson Arizona.
Foliage: Veined Green
Unknown - Tell us
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information: Non-patented
Propagation Methods: From herbaceous stem cuttings
Seed Collecting: N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Phoenix, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona (That's me...:))
Castro Valley, California
National City, California
San Diego, California
San Pedro, California
Sunnyvale, California
Jacksonville, Florida
Kissimmee, Florida
Niceville, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Riverview, Florida
Rockledge, Florida
Saint Petersburg, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Vero Beach, Florida
Winter Springs, Florida
Guyton, Georgia
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
Derwood, Maryland
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Averill Park, New York
Beaumont, Texas
Belton, Texas
New Braunfels, Texas
Richmond, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Yoakum, Texas
:: IMG_4838 - Version