Botanical Ingredient
Purple Basil
Ocimum basilicum 'Purpurascens'
Purple basil is a striking ornamental and medicinal variety of Ocimum basilicum, distinguished by its deep burgundy leaves, higher anthocyanin content, and a slightly spicier, more complex aromatic profile than sweet basil. The anthocyanins responsible for its color are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, layering additional skin-protective benefit on top of the eugenol and linalool shared with its green counterparts. Like all basils, purple basil thrives in the heat and humidity of Florida summers.
Traditional Uses
- Anti-inflammatory topical applications
- Antioxidant skin support
- Antimicrobial wound and skin care
- Aromatic nervine in traditional herbalism
- Culinary and medicinal herb in Asian and Mediterranean traditions
Key Properties
Our Sourcing
Purple basil is grown in InVine's Florida garden alongside its sweet and Thai counterparts, thriving in the long, hot Florida summers. We harvest the leaves just before the plant begins to flower for peak oil content, then dry them gently before infusion.
Why We Use It
Purple basil caught my eye before it ever caught my attention as a medicine — those deep burgundy leaves growing alongside the greens in the summer garden are genuinely striking. But once I started looking into the anthocyanin content, I understood it was more than ornamental. The same pigments that give it that color are potent antioxidants that sweet basil simply does not carry in the same concentration. Growing it alongside sweet basil was an easy decision once I realized it adds a distinct medicinal layer on top of everything the basil family already brings.