How to Grow Bowles' Purple Basil
Wikimedia Commons
Bowles' Purple Basil
Ocimum basilicum 'Bowles' Purple'
herbBowles' Purple is a striking ornamental and culinary basil variety with deep purple foliage and purple flowers. It offers a unique flavor profile with peppery, slightly anise-like notes combined with a hint of clove, making it both decorative and functional in the kitchen. This heirloom variety is prized for its distinctive appearance and complex taste.
When should you plant Bowles' Purple Basil in your zone?
Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.
Example Bowles' Purple Basil timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
-
Plant Bowles' Purple Basil
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
-
Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
-
Harvest Bowles' Purple Basil
Around Jun 16≈ 60 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Bowles' Purple Basil dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Ideal in zones 10-11; grows as annual in zones 3-9
Sign up free to see if Bowles' Purple Basil grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.
Get my Bowles' Purple Basil timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
7-14 daysTiny seedlings emerge with cotyledons (seed leaves) and delicate true leaves begin forming. Foliage shows slight purple tint early on.
Keep soil warm (70-75°F) and consistently moist. Provide bright light to prevent stretching. Thin seedlings to prevent crowding.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksPlant develops multiple stems with increasingly deep purple leaves. Plant grows bushy and compact. Purple coloration becomes more pronounced.
Pinch off flower buds to encourage leaf production and bushiness. Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced fertilizer. Ensure consistent moisture and full sun exposure.
Pre-Flowering
1-2 weeksPlant reaches optimal size with dense foliage. Terminal buds begin forming at branch tips, signaling flower development.
Continue pinching for leafy growth or allow flowering for seed production. Harvest leaves regularly to encourage bushiness. Maintain even watering.
Flowering
2-4 weeksDelicate purple flowers appear on spikes at branch ends. Flowers are highly ornamental and attract pollinators. Foliage may become less tender.
Deadhead spent flowers to prolong leaf production, or allow flowering for seed collection. Flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes. Harvest leaves before they get tough.
Seed Production & Decline
3-4 weeksPlant focuses energy on seed development. Foliage quality declines. Seeds mature in brown seedpods.
Allow some flowers to mature for seed collection if desired. Plant will naturally decline as temperatures cool in fall. Save seeds by allowing pods to dry on plant, then collect.
Common Pests
-
Hand-pick in early morning. Use neem oil spray. Introduce parasitic wasps.
-
Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Use yellow sticky traps. Increase air circulation.
-
Mist foliage regularly to increase humidity. Apply neem oil or miticide spray. Remove heavily infested leaves.
-
Spray with strong water stream. Apply insecticidal soap. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs.
-
Remove affected plants. Improve drainage. Use disease-resistant varieties. Avoid overhead watering.
Uses
Gourmet Cooking & Garnish
CulinaryBowles' Purple adds visual appeal and complex peppery-clove flavor to salads, pasta, risotto, and cocktails. Its striking purple color makes it an elegant garnish for soups and plated dishes. [source]
Purple Basil Pesto
CulinaryCreates a stunning deep purple pesto with nuanced flavor profile. Excellent for pasta, crostini, and as a condiment. The purple pigment comes from anthocyanins. [source]
Herbal Tea & Wellness
MedicinalBasil leaves can be steeped for tea with potential digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits. Contains compounds like linalool and eugenol with traditional medicinal applications. [source]
Natural Insect Repellent
HouseholdFresh basil planted near entryways or dried in sachets may help repel flies, mosquitoes, and other insects. The essential oils have natural insecticidal properties. [source]
Ornamental & Floral Arrangements
CraftThe deep purple foliage and delicate purple flowers make this basil an attractive addition to ornamental gardens and fresh flower arrangements. Adds unique color to mixed bouquets. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Begin harvesting when plant is 6-8 inches tall by pinching off top 1/4 inch of stems. Harvest regularly (2-3 times weekly) to encourage bushiness and prevent flowering. Pinch above leaf nodes to promote branching. Morning harvest after dew dries yields best flavor. Can harvest continuously until frost or plant decline. Freezing, drying, or infusing in oil are preservation options.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Bowles' Purple is an heirloom variety named after E.A. Bowles, a renowned English horticulturist and garden author from the early 20th century.
- 🌱 Unlike many purple basils that are primarily ornamental, Bowles' Purple maintains excellent culinary flavor and is genuinely delicious, not just beautiful.
- 🌱 The anthocyanins that give this basil its purple color are the same beneficial compounds found in blueberries and acai berries.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.
Get your personalized Bowles' Purple Basil planting timeline
Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Bowles' Purple Basil seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.
Get my Bowles' Purple Basil timeline →