I've also never heard of a perennial basil. Must investigate......
Love that there are so many people from my old stomping grounds. Born/raised in Chicago; degree in Omaha; first job in Bloomington/Normal IL, then out to the Indianapolis area.
Back to regularly scheduled programming....
I love the flavored basils...lemon, lime, cinnamon, and thai. Purples are beautiful, but don't think flavor is outstanding. They do look pretty mixed in a salad, but cooking tends to turn everything else purple