Basil - African Blue
Ocimum gratissimum

Looking for a Specific Herb?
Search Our Herb Almanac Below:

The leaves of African blue basil start out purple when young, only growing green as the given leaf grows to its full size, and even then retaining purple veins. Based on other purple basils, the color is from anthocyanins, especially cyanidin-3-(di-p-coumarylglucoside)-5-glucoside, but also other cyanidin-based and peonidin-based compounds.

It blooms profusely like an annual, but being sterile can never go to seed. It is also taller than many basil cultivars. These blooms are very good at attracting bees and other pollinators.

Uses
All parts of the flower, leaves and stems are edible; although some might find the camphor scent too strong for use in the kitchen, the herb reportedly yields a tasty pesto with a "rich, mellow flavor" and can be used as a seasoning in soups and salads, particularly those featuring tomato, green beans, chicken, etc.

Herb information provided by Wikipedia, which is released under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

RECIPES

African Blue Basil Pesto with Macadamia Nuts

Ingredients:
1 bunch African Blue Basil, leaves only
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. Parmesan cheese
6 macadamia nuts
1 to 2 cloves of garlic
Sea salt and pepper

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.