Herb. No. 016 · Lamiaceae
Sacred basil of the Indian subcontinent; a tender annual in temperate gardens.
Native · South Asia
Native Also grown
OpenGentleplant
Holy basil
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Tulsi — the daily adaptogen tea of Indian households, peppery and clarifying.
Ocimum tenuiflorum (syn. O. sanctum) is distinct from sweet basil. Rama, Krishna, and Vana types differ in color and scent. Traditional use is for stress, dull mind, and mild respiratory congestion. A pot on the step is both medicine and devotion in many homes.
Flavor
Pepper, clove, and sweet basil; Krishna types run more spicy.
Parts used
Leaf and flowering tops
In favor
- Delicious daily tea
- Easy summer annual
- Bees love it
Against
- May ease conception — caution if trying not to conceive
- Eugenol-rich: go gently with bleeding risk