Basil - Purple Ruffles Ocimum basilicum

Common Name:
Basil ‘Purple Ruffles’

Description:
Basil ‘Purple Ruffles’ is a striking ornamental and culinary herb known for its deeply serrated, frilled foliage in rich shades of dark purple to burgundy. This variety offers a milder basil flavour with subtle clove-like undertones, making it ideal for adding both colour and taste to salads, garnishes, and fresh dishes. In addition to its dramatic foliage, it produces soft spikes of pale pink flowers during summer, attracting bees and beneficial insects. Well-suited to Melbourne’s warmer months, it thrives in full sun and well-drained, fertile soil with regular watering to maintain lush growth. As a tender annual, it performs best from spring through to autumn and benefits from regular harvesting and pinching to encourage bushier growth and prevent early flowering. Its bold appearance makes it equally suitable for ornamental garden beds and decorative pots.

Form:
Shrub - Small
Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

Mature Size:
Height: 0.4–0.6 m
Width: 0.3–0.5 m

Aspect:
Full Sun

Flowering:
Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
Pale pink

Key Attributes:
Bee Attracting
Culinary herb
Edible Leaves
Fast Growing
Herbaceous
Suitable for Pots
Annual
Ornamental foliage

Toxicity:
Generally considered non-toxic to humans and pets when consumed in typical culinary amounts.

Companion Plants:
Tomatoes
Capsicum
Chilli
Lettuce
Oregano