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Common name: African Blue Basil
Botanical name: Ocimum 'African Blue'
Family: Lamiaceae
If you're looking for a basil that brings flavor, flowers, and pollinators to the garden, African Blue Basil deserves a spot! With deep green leaves tinged with purple, beautiful purple flower spikes, and an irresistible aroma, this basil is as ornamental as it is useful.
Unlike traditional sweet basil, African Blue Basil is a sterile hybrid, meaning it doesn't produce viable seed. Instead, it keeps branching and flowering throughout the season—making it an incredible long-lasting source of flowers for bees and other pollinators.
🌱 Why Grow African Blue Basil?
🐝 A Pollinator Magnet
This is one of African Blue Basil's biggest claims to fame. Once it begins flowering, the blooms can be absolutely covered with bees and other beneficial pollinators.
If you're looking to create a garden that buzzes with activity, this is a fantastic plant to add.
🌸 Beautiful Enough for the Flower Garden
With purple stems, purple-tinged foliage, and masses of lavender-colored flowers, African Blue Basil looks right at home in ornamental beds as well as the herb garden.
🌿 Keeps Producing
Because it doesn't set viable seed, African Blue Basil can spend the entire season producing new leaves and flowers.
🍽️ A Unique Culinary Herb
Its flavor is more complex than traditional sweet basil, with hints of spice and camphor. It works especially well in savory dishes, infused oils, sauces, and herb blends.
🌿 Growing & Care
☀️ Light
Prefers full sun
Aim for 6–8 hours of sunlight daily
Afternoon shade can be helpful during extreme summer heat
💧 Water
Keep soil consistently moist while establishing
Once established, allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings
Containers may need frequent watering during hot weather
🌱 Soil
Rich, well-draining soil
Add compost before planting
Benefits from regular feeding during the growing season
🌿 Growth Habit
African Blue Basil can become a large, vigorous plant, often reaching 2–3 feet tall and wide under good conditions.
Give it room to grow!
🌡️ Growing African Blue Basil in Zone 5
African Blue Basil is a warm-season annual in Colorado and other cold climates.
Tips for Success:
Wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting outdoors.
Plant in a warm, sunny location.
Protect from cold nights early and late in the season.
Containers are an excellent choice if you want to move plants around the garden.
Harvest regularly to encourage branching and fresh foliage.
African Blue Basil will not survive a Zone 5 winter outdoors, but one healthy plant can provide months of beautiful growth during the summer.
✂️ Do I Need to Remove the Flowers?
No! That's the beauty of African Blue Basil.
With traditional basil, we often pinch off flowers to keep plants focused on leaf production. African Blue Basil is different.
Its flowers are one of its greatest features!
🌸 Let It Bloom
Allow the flower spikes to develop and you'll have:
More color
More pollinators
More branching
A beautiful ornamental herb
You can still trim the plant when it becomes too large or harvest young leaves for cooking.
🌿 Harvesting African Blue Basil
🌱 What to Harvest
Young leaves
Tender stem tips
Flowering stems
✂️ How to Harvest
Cut stems just above a set of leaves to encourage the plant to branch.
And don't throw those flowers away! The blooms are edible and can be used as a colorful garnish.
🍽️ How to Use African Blue Basil
African Blue Basil has a stronger, more complex flavor than sweet basil, so it's especially good when used thoughtfully.
Try it in:
Pesto
Pasta dishes
Tomato salads
Herb butter
Marinades
Infused vinegar
Cocktails and mocktails
Garnishes
It pairs especially well with tomatoes, garlic, lemon, olive oil, mozzarella, peaches, and grilled vegetables.
🌿 African Blue Basil Herb Butter
A simple way to capture its unique flavor!
Ingredients
½ cup softened unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped African Blue Basil leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil flowers
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 small garlic clove, minced
Pinch of salt
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Spoon onto parchment paper and roll into a log.
Refrigerate until firm.
Slice and serve over grilled vegetables, corn, chicken, fish, or warm bread.
Garden Tip: Freeze extra herb butter in small portions so you can enjoy your basil harvest later in the year.
🐝 Create a Pollinator Haven
African Blue Basil is especially valuable when planted alongside other flowering herbs.
Try pairing it with:
Lavender
Thyme
Oregano
Lemon balm
Borage
Pineapple sage
Together, these herbs can create a beautiful, fragrant pollinator garden that provides food for bees and other beneficial insects throughout the growing season.
🌸 Final Thoughts
African Blue Basil is proof that an herb garden doesn't have to be all about cooking. This beautiful basil gives you fragrant foliage, edible flowers, nonstop blooms, and a steady stream of pollinators all summer long.
It's a wonderful choice for gardeners who want their herbs to pull double duty—beautiful enough for the flower garden and useful enough for the kitchen.
Come visit The Flower Bin and add African Blue Basil to your garden this summer! 🌿💜🐝
