Days to Maturity: 80 from direct sow

‘Crimson King’ is destined for a long and glorious reign in American gardens. This Genovese-type basil, bred in England as an improvement over the popular Red Rubin (which we still love for its own merits as well), is as ornamental as it is delicious.

You will smell ‘Crimson King’ before you see it, the huge, lightly cupped violet leaves releasing a spicy clove aroma. Fabulous for cooking or in fresh dishes, ‘Crimson King’ is a generous producer, with good branching on plants that reach 18 inches high and about a foot wide. Compact enough for containers, they stand out nicely wherever they are planted.

And ‘Crimson King’ is not a fussy grower. You won’t find those depressing green off-shoots that so many red-leafed varieties have’Crimson King’ is 100% purple, no matter what the weather does. The growth is vigorous, too, so that you can expect to begin harvesting big, delectable leaves in