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Heirloom
★ Best Seller
New ’26
Non-GMO
Purple Ruffles Basil
$4.50
Packet - 200 Seeds
Flat $7.99 shipping
Germination guaranteed
Non-GMO
Not sure when to plant in your area?
Planting dates depend on your local frost dates and growing zone.
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Quick Facts
Days to Maturity80 days
SunlightFull Sun
Spacing12–18 Inches
Germination5–10 days
Growing Information
Growing Purple Ruffles Basil
‘Purple Ruffles’ is an award-winning basil and 1987 All-America Selections Winner, prized for its deep purple foliage, heavily ruffled leaves, and rich Genovese-style flavor. Selected as one of our 2025 Free Seed varieties, it offers subtle hints of spice and licorice that add complexity in the kitchen, while its dramatic color makes it just as striking in ornamental plantings.
Start ‘Purple Ruffles’ indoors for transplanting or sow directly where conditions allow. Plant seeds about ¼ inch deep and space plants 12 to 18 inches apart. Grow in full sun. This variety is well suited to containers.
Ready to begin harvesting in about 80 days, cut leaves as needed once plants are established.
Bold, aromatic, and colorful, ‘Purple Ruffles’ is excellent for pesto, salads, pasta, garnishes, containers, and ornamental herb gardens.
- Days to Maturity: 70–80 Days
- Sow Method: Start Indoors or Direct Sow
- Sowing Depth: ¼ Inch
- Plant Spacing: 12–18 Inches
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Plant Height: 18–24 Inches
- Leaf Type: Deep Purple, Ruffled Leaves
- Flavor Profile: Sweet Genovese with Spice & Licorice Notes
- Growth Habit: Upright, Mounded
- Special Features: 1987 AAS Winner, Highly Ornamental, Fragrant, Excellent for Culinary Use
- Hardiness Zones: Zones 4–10 (Grown as an annual)
- Best Uses: Pesto, Salads, Garnishes, Containers, Ornamental Plantings
Catalog Page: 5
How to start
Start Indoors or Direct Sow
Sowing depth
¼ Inch
Plant height
18–24 Inches
Botanical name
Ocimum basilicum
Questions
FAQ
How should I start these seeds?
Recommended sow method: Start Indoors or Direct Sow.
How deep should I sow the seeds?
Sow at a depth of ¼ Inch.
How long until they germinate?
Typical germination: 5–10 days.
How far apart should I space them?
Recommended spacing: 12–18 Inches.
How much sun do they need?
Recommended sun exposure: Full Sun.
What’s your germination guarantee?
We stand behind the germination quality of our seed. If you have a germination issue, contact our team and we'll help make it right.
Purple Ruffles Basil$4.50 · Packet - 200 Seeds
REAL GARDENERS, REAL RESULTS
What Gardeners Are Saying
Customer Reviews
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I will always be growing this basil from now on-- insanely high germination rate, super healthy seedlings and plants that went on to thrive, and beautiful showy foliage that could easily blend in to your front garden planters looking right at home next to coleus. I had plenty of plants to give away to friends who were impressed with the beauty and ease of care, one of whom didn't ordinarily grow vegetables and herbs but was pleased with how beautiful this plant looked in their garden! Interestingly, the lowest leaves on the plant which remained green had an almost anise like flavor profile, while the rest of the plant had more of a classic basil flavor. Definitely buy a packet if it at all intrigues you, it was a standout in my summer garden and it's far more than just a novelty crop!
