Description
Green Ruffles Basil
Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum 'Green Ruffles'
Green ruffles basil is an annual herb with rich, lime green leaves that have a distinct ruffled and quilted appearance. It is larger plant than common sweet basil and very ornamental, so green ruffles basil makes a nice border or accent plant in the garden. This basil variety grows to 60cm high and 40cm wide. The leaves are deeply serrated, ovate and opposite and are quite large at 10-15cm long. The spikes of pink, sometimes white, flowers grow in racemes at the end of the stems.
This basil is flavoursome and is considered perfect for many pasta dishes, along with being ideal for salads and dressings. The flavour is reputed to be like sweet basil, but with a hint of cinnamon and liquorice. If your plants are kept warm and harvested regularly, green ruffles may last up to ten months in the warmer regions.
Green ruffles basil is easy to grow, but when sowing seeds it may be useful to use small pots to minimise disturbance. The seedlings have a reputation of being delicate at first, before becoming hardy garden plants. This variety is slower growing, has a medium water requirement and is frost tender. The roots are quite thin and spreading, so care needs to be taken when planting out seedlings. They will benefit from organic matter and some sources suggest that part shade is tolerated.
Each basil variety has distinctive features, however, the general properties and growing conditions are very similar and details can be found in our Basil entry.
