SPERLI Basilikum Bordeaux

Red basil in shades of Bordeaux: 30–40 cm tall, for sun and partial shade, harvested into October – colour for plate and pot.

The story

Origins & history

Red-leaved basils are selections of the same species as green basil. Over generations, gardeners propagated plants with dark foliage until the colour became stable. The red tint comes from anthocyanins – the same pigments that colour red cabbage and blackberries.

Uses

Red basil brings colour to salads, carpaccio, goat’s cheese and pale pasta dishes. Steeped as a herb vinegar, it turns the vinegar a soft pink. In a pot or container it is also an attractive foliage plant among green herbs.

Meaning

Bordeaux is not only a city and a wine but also the name of a deep wine-red colour. The variety bears it rightly – a herb you enjoy first with your eyes.

A thought for giving

Red and green basil are close relatives; only their colour sets them apart. Diversity often begins within one’s own family.

At a glance

• Contents: 1 packet for approx. 150 plants
• Botanical name: Ocimum basilicum
• Life cycle: annual
• Height: 30–40 cm
• Position: sunny, partial shade
• Suitable for containers: yes (raised bed, container, pot)
• Sow indoors: all year round
• Sow outdoors: May–July
• Harvest: July–October
• Sowing depth: 0–0.5 cm
• Germination temperature: 20–25 °C
• Germination time: 14–21 days
• Plant spacing: 25 cm
• Row spacing: 30 cm
• Seed type: loose seed
• Fragrant: yes

How to sow

1. Start indoors all year round in Anzuchterde in the Premium-Anzuchtplatte; sow outdoors from May to July.
2. Cover the seeds only very thinly (0–0.5 cm) and press down lightly.
3. Keep moist at 20–25 °C – the seedlings appear after 14–21 days.
4. Plant in sun or partial shade in a pot, container or raised bed, about 25 cm apart.

Delivery time: 1–2 weeks. Manufacturer: SPERLI GmbH. Seeds, not a plant – the image shows the original packet.

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