In addition to the well-known green-leaved basil, there are also black and red-leaved varieties. We will show you all about the variety of basil.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Most species of this genus thrive in the tropical climates of Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Basil probably comes from India. However, the popular leaf herb has enjoyed great attention for several thousand years in the form of targeted cultivation for cultural purposes and for cooking. Basil relics have been found in Egyptian pyramids during excavations. In the Hindu faith, the red-leaved varieties in particular are traditionally important.
Here in Central Europe, basil has only been known as a cultivated plant since the Middle Ages. In this country it is also known as king's herb, derived from the Greek basileus, which means `king`. But red and dark-leaved varieties are also becoming increasingly popular. Incidentally, the intensive coloring is caused by a high content of the pigment anthocyanin in the cells. We'll show you everything you need to know about this tasty miracle of colour.
Synonyms: basil, basil herb, royal herb
Growing black basil in your own garden or on the balcony
Like its famous big brother, black basil prefers well-drained soil. This should be as sunny as possible so that the dark-leaved basil varieties can develop their eye-catching foliage color. As long as the temperature does not drop below 10 °C, it does not matter whether it is kept in a pot or in a bed. In any case, if the temperature is too low, the basil must always be brought into a warm place to avoid cold damage. Basil is usually cultivated as an annual herb, but can also be brought over the winter in a warm location with a constant temperature of at least 10 °C. Slightly more robust varieties are particularly suitable for this.
Reproduction
UmIf you grow basil in your own garden, on the balcony or on the windowsill, it makes sense to bring the seeds indoors from March. For this purpose, growing pots are filled with a suitable substrate (e.g. a soil-sand mixture). The Plantura organic herb and seed soil is also ideal for propagating your basil plants. Since basil needs light to germinate, the sowing should not be covered with substrate. However, since this would protect the swelling seeds from drying out, greater care must be taken to ensure that the seeds are sufficiently supplied with water during the germination process and do not become dry. At a temperature of 18-25 °C, the basil seeds germinate within 7 to 14 days, depending on the variety. With a seedling size of about 5 cm, the small plants should be transplanted into larger pots. Depending on the pot size, several basil seedlings should be planted together in one pot - for example, five to ten plants in a pot that has a diameter of 13 cm. Due to the cold sensitivity of black basil, care should be taken when planting out. Even after the Ice Saints in mid-May, night temperatures can still fall below the critical 10 °C mark.
Watering and fertilizing black basil
The same applies to black basil as to its green-leaved relatives when it comes to watering and fertilizing. It is very thirsty and hungry. Therefore, daily watering may be necessary even in the bed on hot, sunny days. Since basil is one of the heavy consumers, it should be planted out in nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil if possible. The substrate, which is used for the culture in the pot, must of course have a correspondingly high nutrient content. The plant bed can be wonderfully fertilized by digging in compost or manure in early spring. Potted basilicas must be fertilized with a complete nutrient fertilizer via irrigation - weekly during the main growing season. The Plantura organic universal fertilizer, for example, is ideal for fertilizing your basil plants. As soon as the basil stops growing in autumn, a four to six-week additional nutrient supply for the potted herbs is sufficient.
In the bed, Ocimum does well with tomatoes, kohlrabi or cucumbers and drives them away white fly. Bad neighbors, on the other hand, are lemon balm or savory.
Caring for Black Basil
In your own garden, basil can be damaged by slugs, aphids or whiteflies. Lucerne mosaic virus evokes mosaic-like patternsleaves. Plant viral pathogens are not supposed to pose a serious he alth risk to humans, but it just doesn't look pretty. There are now even vague studies that the consumption of virally infected herbal products can promote migraine and diarrhea symptoms.
Direct contact of leaves with water promotes fungal infection. To prevent this, a location that is as sheltered as possible from the rain should be selected in the garden during the warm season. In addition, it should always be watered in such a way that the leaves of the basil do not get wet. Should the leaf spots caused by the fungal pathogen nevertheless occur, the affected parts of the plant should be removed and destroyed.
Black basil varieties: this is where color comes into play
Essential oils are responsible for the variety of aromas of the different types of basil. Some types smell sweetly of aniseed or liquorice, others of lemon or camphor and even cinnamon aromas are represented.
We have put together our favorite varieties for you here:
- Opal: Popular variety with cherry-colored, edible flowers and red leaves.
- Red Ruffles: Dark red leaf color and deeply dissected leaf margins with rose-purple flowers that are also edible; the aroma contains notes of anise, cinnamon, some citrus and pepper.
- Red Rubin: This black-leaved variety offers a peppery aroma and a slight spiciness;. Red Rubin was an All America Selection Winner in 1992, primarily for its visual appeal.
- Genoves basil red: The well-known Genoves basil with red leaves has a high ornamental value, but has the same taste as its green counterpart.
- Purple Ball bush basil: The leaves of this variety are significantly smaller and very flavorful. The growth is short and bushy.
- Wild Purple: A hardy cultivar with intense purple foliage that is well suited to outdoor cultivation.
Basil, Dark Opal€2.96Details →
Basil Red Ruby€1.60Details →
Basil Dark Opal€1.49Details →
Harvesting and storing black basil
When harvesting basil, care should be taken not to remove too much of the leaf mass. Of thatthe plant recovers very poorly. Rather, whole shoots should be removed, which promotes compact growth. But the shoots must not be cut off too deeply. Leave the bottom leaves. They're not as aromatic as the younger leaves that are higher up anyway, and it also allows the plant to continue gathering strength for the branching sprout of side buds.
The essential oils of basil evaporate very quickly and the variety of aromas can only be preserved to a limited extent. That is why it is best to use black basil freshly harvested. Both by drying and by freezing the colored aromatic leaves, most of the aromatic oils are lost and the basil tastes like almost nothing. Just like the green-leaved basil, however, pickling in oil or processing into pesto is very good for preserving the aroma of black basil for a few months.
You can find more useful information in our article Harvesting and storing basil correctly.
Black basil: ingredients and uses in the kitchen
We know basil mainly from Italian cuisine in pasta dishes or in a classic way with caprese. But it is also often used in Asian cuisine.
In order to get as much of the spicy aroma as possible, basil should always be added to the dishes at the end of the cooking process. If basil is cooked, it will quickly overcook and the flavoring essential oils will quickly evaporate.
The spice plant is also said to have some healing properties. For example, basil is said to strengthen the digestive organs and stimulate the appetite. The component eugenol has an anti-inflammatory effect. Methyleugenol, on the other hand - also a component of basil - can be carcinogenic if consumed in high concentrations. For this reason, basil is not used as a medicinal herb, although an unattainably high number of basil leaves would have to be consumed in order to exceed the critical level of methyleugenol through the consumption of the spicy leaves.
In any case, the black basil impresses with its high ornamental value. And since the herb can also bring various taste experiences into the kitchen, it deserves a place in every garden or on every balcony as a colorful exotic.
Our Plantura herb growing set also contains seeds for dark-leaved basil. Find in setYou will also find everything you need to sow basil and three other herbs.