Basil ‘Crimson King’ Seeds

The Striking Culinary & Ornamental Marvel: Deep Purple-Crimson Foliage, Spicy Sweet Aroma & Gourmet Visual Flair

Elevate both your kitchen garden and your culinary creations with Basil ‘Crimson King’ (Ocimum basilicum var. purpureum), a premium purple heirloom basil prized for its uniform, intensely dark violet-crimson leaves and robust aromatic profile. Offering a delightful twist on traditional green basils, 'Crimson King' infuses garden beds, raised planters, and gourmet dishes with a rich, complex flavor featuring sweet clove notes and a subtle, spicy anise finish.

Bred for exceptional performance, compact bushy branching, and high leaf yields, this heat-loving annual adds dramatic visual contrast when interplanted with traditional green herbs and flowering annuals. The glossy, deep purple leaves maintain their rich, dark pigmentation throughout the hottest summer months, making this variety a favorite for colorful violet pesto, infused herbal vinegars, craft cocktails, and vibrant fresh summer salads.

Features

• Dramatic Crimson-Purple Foliage: Rich, intensely dark violet leaves that provide magnificent visual contrast in garden beds and on the plate.

• Complex Gourmet Flavor: Sweet, spicy clove-like aroma with subtle anise notes—perfect for specialty purple pesto and artisan vinegars.

• High-Yielding & Compact: Dense, uniform branching habit yields heavy continuous harvests of tender leaves all season.

• Stunning Ornamental Appeal: Complements green vegetables, edible flowers, and potted herb displays seamlessly.

• Pollinator & Companion Magnet: Beautiful lavender-pink flower spikes lure honeybees and beneficial pollinators while serving as a classic companion to garden tomatoes.

• 100 seeds

Growing Information (Australia):

• Scientific Name: Ocimum basilicum var. purpureum 'Crimson King'

• Plant Type: Warm-season Annual

• Growth Habit: Upright, compact bushy annual (Non-vining/Aromatic foliage)

• Sowing Season:

  • Temperate/Cool (e.g., Victoria, Tasmania): Spring to Early Summer (start seeds indoors 4–6 weeks before last frost, or direct sow after soil temperatures consistently exceed 18°C).

  • Subtropical: Late Winter through Autumn.

  • Tropical: Year-round (provide partial afternoon shade during intense mid-summer heat).

• Sun Position: Full Sun (requires 6–8 hours of direct sun daily to develop and maintain its deepest crimson leaf color).

• Sowing Depth: 3mm–5mm deep (Cover very lightly with fine soil; seeds benefit from warmth and light to break dormancy).

• Plant Spacing: 25cm–30cm apart between plants.

• Plant Height: 40cm–50cm tall.

• Germination Temp: 20°C–26°C.

• Germination Time: 7–14 days.

• Seed to Bloom/Harvest Time: 60–75 days to maturity (individual young leaves can be harvested from 40 days).

• Gardener’s Tip: Pinch out the main growing stem when plants reach 15cm tall to promote multi-branched, bushy growth and delay flowering. Water consistently at the root level early in the day to keep foliage dry. Regularly trim flower spikes as they appear to direct energy into lush, continuous foliage production.