Purple basil has a more intense flavor than Thai basil and it is prudent to use less for cooking. But what I really love to do with purple basil leaves is to use them for garnish. Rolled then finely sliced, they make a dish not only prettier but more flavorful too. But of the three basil plants in my garden, the purple basil is the one I use the least. Not for lack of good use for it but because the leaves always seem to be infected by some kind of fungus.

Insect eggs

Maybe those tiny round things are insect eggs. I don’t really know. There were times when I’d wash each leaf thoroughly so I could use them but the process has become frustrating. Water is a highly-valued commodity in times like this, what with the dry summer months already wreaking havoc with the water levels in dams, and using so much water to wash each leaf just seems wasteful.

Sad, really, because although many herb gardeners have problems with the leaves turning purple to green, mine have lots and lots of purple leaves on the upper portion of the shrubs which get more direct sunlight. Although it’s possible that the fungus-like growth is not harmful, it’s better safe than sorry and I’d rather not use the leaves for cooking until I know exactly what those things are on the leaves.