Dark Opal

Dark Opal is a historic purple-leaved basil developed at the University of Connecticut and an All-America Selections winner in 1962, one of the first ornamental basils bred in the United States. It features deep purple-black glossy leaves that provide vivid color contrast in herb and ornamental gardens and lend a striking hue to vinegars, oils, and garnishes. Dark Opal has a classic sweet basil flavor with a slightly spicy note. It is an open-pollinated variety, though seed-grown plants can show some variation in leaf color and occasional green reversion. Valued for both its culinary use and its ornamental foliage, Dark Opal helped popularize purple basils and remains a garden classic.