This 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. Native to Africa and South Asia, African blue basil plants have long been grown for the medicinal and culinary uses of the leaves. This resulting sterility of the plant was viewed as a good trait because it gave the plant a long season of flowers. One of the famous basil is the health benefits of African blue basil. However, the fact that basil is not only used for that alone. 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. Basil, usually used for certain foods. It is related to the common basil that flavors so many dishes but grows as a shrub rather than a leafy herb. Flowers are mauve on long stalks attracting bees to your garden. African blue basil has mottled purple-green leaves and characteristic powerful scent of licorice and pepper. Grow it in a sunny spot and keep it well watered. This happened because African blue basil is a hybrid, a plant produced when two types of basil were crossed by a plant breeder. A nursery owner in Ohio first spotted the herb between two beds of Dark Opals and camphor basil in 1983. If you grow African Blue Basil, you'll have a TON of flowers that are not at all bitter at any time. Try toasting the almonds in a hot, dry pan over medium high heat for 3–4 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant, for a toastier flavor. Can add some purple colour to dishes when used fresh. Purple buds open into delicious lavender flowers. Read these basil growing tips. History: 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. Like I mentioned, I like to propagate African Blue Basil specifically and I am currently growing enough to run across all my tomato beds (If you don’t have access to African Blue Basil don’t worry - if you are local I can hook you up with some and if you aren’t, this process works with almost any basil plant that you have on hand.) Literally the best ice cream I've ever tasted. In San Diego, where we can garden year round, African blue basil blooms every day of the year. Use leaves as you would with common basil in cooking and teas. Growing Tips: Use fertile soil that is rich in organic matter. Like other basil varieties, African blue basil does like soils amended with composts that are well drained. We use them in all kinds of cooking, but our favorite use is to make Basil Bud Ice Cream. The shrub grows up to 6 feet (2 m.) tall and looks a little weedy. However, now you can find basil in Italy, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Basil is a plant that you can find in Africa and Asia. Plants thrive in full sun and will form rounded mounds that will be much larger than more culinary basil selections, up to five feet in some gardens. African Blue basil is a relatively new plant and came into being by accident. The flavor of these flowers is the basil itself with strong floral overtones that mesh well. The rich, mellow flavor of African Blue Basil is an ideal seasoning for soups, salads and dishes, especially those featuring red meat, chicken or fish, tomatoes, green beans, summer or winter squash. 'Dark Opal' is a small plant with deep purple leaves and a typical Italian basil flavor. Fresh basil leaves are a slightly grayed green, speckled purple underneath. African Blue Basil is a perennial Basil growing to 80cm high having green leaves with splashes of purple. The green-leaved East African basil parent grows to 6 feet tall in his garden. Ranging from green to purple the herb can attain a height of 12-18 inches. It is among the most popular basil varieties to grow and is used widely in cooking its tender, aromatic foliage. Hardy soft wooded perennial tolerant of light frosts. About African Basil Plants. This pesto is made with nutrient-rich raw almonds instead of traditional pine nuts.