Dark Purple Opal Basil
(Ocimum basilicum) The deep color makes this rare basil breed extra sweet and flavorful. The fragrant deep-violet foliage will accent your floral designs with drama and perfume. Many gardeners choose to dapple their landscape with this dark purple foliage, as it accents brightly colored flowers and vegetables to perfection. This variety was bred at the University of Connecticut in the 1950’s when Professor Joseph M. Lent and his colleague John Scarchuck set out to improve the existing purple basil variety, which had inconsistent color issues. A purple-splotched variety from Turkey was selected from countless samples from across the globe. The result was this deeply purple, vigorous variety — which they named Dark Opal. This exemplary basil took home a bronze medal in the 1962 All-America’s Selection award.
60-75 days to maturity
8-12 hours of full sun
Plant Spacing: 8-12"
Ideal Temperature: 70-85 F
Frost Hardy: No
(Ocimum basilicum) The deep color makes this rare basil breed extra sweet and flavorful. The fragrant deep-violet foliage will accent your floral designs with drama and perfume. Many gardeners choose to dapple their landscape with this dark purple foliage, as it accents brightly colored flowers and vegetables to perfection. This variety was bred at the University of Connecticut in the 1950’s when Professor Joseph M. Lent and his colleague John Scarchuck set out to improve the existing purple basil variety, which had inconsistent color issues. A purple-splotched variety from Turkey was selected from countless samples from across the globe. The result was this deeply purple, vigorous variety — which they named Dark Opal. This exemplary basil took home a bronze medal in the 1962 All-America’s Selection award.
60-75 days to maturity
8-12 hours of full sun
Plant Spacing: 8-12"
Ideal Temperature: 70-85 F
Frost Hardy: No
(Ocimum basilicum) The deep color makes this rare basil breed extra sweet and flavorful. The fragrant deep-violet foliage will accent your floral designs with drama and perfume. Many gardeners choose to dapple their landscape with this dark purple foliage, as it accents brightly colored flowers and vegetables to perfection. This variety was bred at the University of Connecticut in the 1950’s when Professor Joseph M. Lent and his colleague John Scarchuck set out to improve the existing purple basil variety, which had inconsistent color issues. A purple-splotched variety from Turkey was selected from countless samples from across the globe. The result was this deeply purple, vigorous variety — which they named Dark Opal. This exemplary basil took home a bronze medal in the 1962 All-America’s Selection award.
60-75 days to maturity
8-12 hours of full sun
Plant Spacing: 8-12"
Ideal Temperature: 70-85 F
Frost Hardy: No
