Bush Basil 'Tiny Leaf Purple' (Ocimum basilicum)

Bush Basil 'Tiny Leaf Purple'
Ocimum basilicum

It grew to about 30 inches in height by August!

I planted purple basil in my garden from seed. I have several nice ones going and also have one that is not solid purple but looks to be green with purple splotches. I have sweet basil (green) growing in another garden about 20 feet away. Could this be a cross pollenation or just a stray seed that got into the wrong pack at the factory?

As you can see from the photo there is a purple right next to it.

Sometimes I'll get a rogue green basil seedling from a packet of purple basil seeds, but I don't think I've ever seen one that went "half & half" like yours! Cross pollination from plants growing near one another this year will only affect the seeds from this year, not the plant.... so this could be due to crossing, but the crossing occurred before you planted the seed. Did you save the purple basil seeds from a previous year?

BTW, the tiny leaf purple basil in the photo above is quite different from the other purple basils I've seen... and it does have both green and purple on it.

This is my first experience with purple basil. I purchased the seeds at Lowe's this year. I have searched the web to find one that looks the same but cannot.

Thanks for your input, it is very appreciated.

If you want to start some discussion about it, post that photo over in the Herbs forum... those splotched leaves are pretty cool!

Thanks critter, but I am new here and don't see the listing for herbs. Maybe I just need to look around more.

Look closely at the picture again. You will see what appears to be 2 leaves very close together at the bottom of the photo. When I looked at the plant today I found that is one leaf that looks mutated. Sort of like a "conjoined twin".

If I couldn't smell the basil I would think this were not basil but some other strange plant.

Oh, we can't have you missing out on the Herbs forum! There are so many forums now that they can be hard to find... "Herbs" in under "General Gardening" in the "Garden Talk" tab. Here's a link to a recent thread on basil in the herb forum, http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/626703/ Point and click on the blue link in this note to go there, then you can click on the green "Herbs" forum label at the top of the thread to access the whole forum. Once you are there, you can click on the blue "Add this forum to your favorites" at the top of the forum page, and the herbs forum will come up on your home page.

And, welcome to DG! :-)

I can see the question but not the replies, since I am not a member. I don't know how I managed to post to your thread. Maybe I will join in a few days. Right now money is very tight.

I think anyone can comment on PF pictures, whether member or subscriber.

I've had just the best time since subscribing to DG a year & a half ago. I knew it would be a great place to get information & advice, and I figured I'd have fun trading seeds & plants, but I had no idea what a warm, friendly online community was here until I joined! I understand about tight budgets, but I'll hope to see you all around all the forums soon. :-)

Can I get a start from this plant with a cutting? I would like to have more of them.

Yes! You can harvest basil by pinching above the second set of leaves on the stem (the first set of nurse leaves from seed don't count) or on the branch. Pinching makes basil branch, and the more you pinch the bushier your plant will get. Pinching regularly will also prevent the plant from flowering (going to seed makes the leaves less tasty).

If you pinch back a longer stem, you can get a cutting for propagation. Leave 2-4 leaves at the top of the cutting, and strip off the lower leaves. Basil roots readily in water, which should be changed ever day for best results. When the roots are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, pot up the cutting in a 2 inch pot. When it has filled that little pot with roots, it is ready to be hardened off & planted out. HTH!