Purple Basil

Last year I posted about purple basil and how it can take over an area. This year, I didn't let the purple basil take root in the path from the herb garden and patio to the back yard. Instead, I allowed it to take over the north side of the herb garden. As you can see from the picture, it surely did take over. These plants are easily 30' tall, if not taller. What I like best about this area, besides the beautiful color of the the purple basil, is that it does a good job of hiding the compost bin, which is barely visible in this picture.

Purple basil is an ornamental, but also has culinary uses. Puprle basil has a different flavor than traditional basil. It's anise aroma and taste make for unique dishes like purple basil pesto and salsa. You can also use purple basil in drinks. It is nice in lemonade and you can muddle it and add some rum for a tasty cocktail.