Dragon

Sweet basil of the Dragon variety is an annual herbaceous plant from the Lamiaceae family with a strongly branching stem reaching a height of 50 to 70 cm and well-leafened elongated-ovate leaves of dark purple color with a rarely toothed edge. The plant's flowers also have a purple hue. This basil variety is distinguished by a strong spicy aroma, which makes it popular both in cooking and in folk medicine.

Successful cultivation of Dragon basil requires warm, light conditions and sufficient humidity; however, the plant does not tolerate strong northern winds. Seeds germinate at a soil temperature of not less than 10°C; the optimal temperature for seedlings is 20-22°C, at which they appear within 10-15 days, and at 30-35°C within 6-7 days. The plant blooms from June to August and fruits from August to September. Care for basil includes loosening the soil, weeding, regular watering, and feeding with mineral fertilizers. It can be grown either by seedling method or by direct sowing in open ground.

In cooking, fresh and dried Dragon basil leaves are widely used to flavor meat and fish dishes, salads, soups, fillings, as well as for pickling and marinating vegetables. Leaves are added to dessert drinks and tea, while seeds are used to flavor various dishes. Thanks to their healing properties, basil stimulates digestion, stimulates appetite, and enhances the overall tone of the body. The harvest is collected during the period of mass flowering in dry weather, by cutting plants along the line of leafing, after which the raw material is dried in the shade and stored in a ventilated dry room, where it retains its color and beneficial qualities.