The Difference Between Green And Purple Basil Is Easily Explained By Science

Basil is a culinary workhorse that adds a fresh herbal kick to a variety of salads, soups, and curries. It's also fairly easy to grow in the garden. If you've ever flipped through a seed catalog or website, you may have been amazed by how many different varieties of basil are available. It even comes in different colors. So you may have found yourself wondering what the difference between purple and green basil is and how it changes the way the plant grows and tastes. It all comes down to a pigment called anthocyanin.

Anthocyanins are what give purple basils like 'Dark Purple Opal' their distinctive color. They are also the culprit behind the unique coloring of many other purple, red, or blue berries and plants. These pigments even have some health benefits. This is because they contain antioxidants. While purple basil is great for you, it does have a slightly different flavor from green basil, so you'll need to keep that in mind when using it in the kitchen. Purple basil tends to be less sweet and a bit spicier than green basil. 

Purple basil doesn't just have a slightly different taste thanks to its anthocyanins; it also has some different traits from green basil in the garden. A study in the journal Plants found it to be more drought-tolerant than its green relative. It also recovers better from stress compared to green varieties. Since basil generally needs constant soil moisture to thrive, growing a more drought-tolerant variety could significantly improve your basil production if you live in an especially dry area.

While purple basil has some differences from green basil, it's still similar in most ways and still grows perfectly with tomatoes in the garden. As with other types of basil, you should still grow it in full sun and fertile soil. And it still needs warm weather to thrive and lacks frost tolerance. You can also grow any type of basil indoors to enjoy it year-round. It's a great way to make your home smell fresh, too!