Red Rubin Basil Plant

The Red Rubin Basil Plant not only tastes delicious, but with its attractive dark foliage, it is wonderfully ornamental as well. It produces large, purple-red leaves that have a warm and spicy flavor, which are perfect for adding to dishes or making pesto.  Ocimum 'Red Rubin', or purple basil as it is commonly known also develops mauve-pink flowers in summer at the top of each stem. Growing to around 2 feet high, it forms a looser habit than its green counterparts and is perfect for a container.

Red Rubin Basil Plant Care  

For the best flavor and foliage color, Red Rubin Basil should be grown in a sheltered spot in full sun. It prefers to be planted in a well-drained soil as it will struggle if the soil is allowed to become too wet. As a tender edible, this basil should only be placed outside when the temperature is reliably above 60-65 °F and all risk of frost has gone.

Growing Red Rubin Basil Plant

This Red Rubin Basil wants to receive as much sun as it can get: 6-8 hours a day is what to aim for. Being tender, it should be gradually hardened off before placing it outside; bring it indoors as the temperatures begin to drop in the fall. Its leaves can be harvested throughout the year but taste most flavorsome before flowering.

Due to its compact size, Red Rubin Basil is suited for growing in a container or in the ground. When growing in a container, a minimum pot diameter of 8-12 inches is recommended. 

Watering Red Rubin Basil Plant

Basil likes to be grown in a soil that is kept moist but not overly wet. If grown in a pot, drainage holes must be present to avoid the soil becoming saturated. 

Feeding Red Rubin Basil Plant

Fertilizing basil is generally not required if it is grown in fertile soil. However, pot-grown plants can benefit from an organic liquid feed applied every 4-6 weeks when actively growing.

Red Rubin Basil Plant Information