Love basil? Try this intoxicating flavorful herb that should be as popular as basil or cilantro. The incredible flavor has been described as curry-like and as a combination of cumin, cilantro, and/or parsley with a hint of cinnamon. It is superb when served along with sushi.
The leaves are a nice addition to mesclun salad mixes and especially good sprinkled over cucumbers, cabbage, or fish.
An excellent container plant, you can grow it just like basil. It will tolerate shade or sun if kept evenly moist. The deep mulberry colored leaves made this a popular bedding plant in the U.S. after the Civil War. It makes a nice backdrop for blue, pink, and/or white flowers. Reaches 18" tall in ideal conditions.
When to plant outside: After average last spring frost.
When to start inside: 4 weeks before average last frost, but sowing outdoors is easiest.
Special Germination Instructions: Seed requires light to germinate. Sow very shallow or press seeds into soil surface and mist or water frequently.
Harvesting: Harvest leaves anytime after the plant is a few inches high, but before the plant flowers. Once the plant flowers, the leaves may drop (even before the first fall frost).