Tulsi, Holy Basil
Tulsi, Holy Basil
BOTANICAL NAMES: Ocimum tenuiflorum (formerly O. sanctum), O. gratissimum, Ocimum x africanum
ACTIONS AND PROPERTIES: Alterative, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidepressant, Antifungal, Antiviral, Antimicrobial, Anxiolytic, Cardiotonic, Carminative, Demulcent, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Immunomodulator, Nervine, Radioprotective
(phew!)
Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is a beloved plant in the Lamiaceae family and Ocimum genus. Native to the Indian subcontinent, it thrives in warm climates and has been cultivated for thousands of years in gardens, temple courtyards, and home altars throughout South Asia. There are several species and cultivars of Tulsi, with Ocimum tenuiflorum (previously O. sanctum) being the species I work with most often. Ocimum africanum grows very well in our area, like a bountiful, busy perennial, while O. tenuiflorum is usually grown as an annual.
The aroma of Tulsi is incredible - it’s aromatic, spicy, clove-like, with an almost incense-like sweetness that I can’t get enough of. The bees love it, too. And yes - it’s is the same genus as our garden basil : Ocimum basilicum 🌱
Tulsi Remedy
Tulsi holds a sacred place in Ayurvedic medicine and has long been revered not just as a healing herb, but as a spiritual guide. It’s considered a rasayana, or rejuvenative tonic, working across multiple systems of the body to restore vitality and resilience. Energetically, Tulsi is warming, drying, and slightly pungent, with a distinctly uplifting quality. It supports the nervous system, lungs, heart, liver, brain, and digestion. In my own work, I’ve found Tulsi especially useful for folks who feel run down, mentally foggy, or stuck in looping thought patterns. Tulsi’s qualities help the body better handle stress, whether that’s from environmental toxins, long workdays, or emotional strain. It’s also wonderful for symptoms of pharmaceutical or recreational drubs such as cloudy thoughts (learned from David Winston’s teachings.) It’s one of those herbs that doesn’t just help the body adapt, it also clears the mind and lifts the spirit. I think of Tulsi when people feel emotionally bogged down or energetically depleted. It’s brightening, clarifying, and gently energizing without being overly stimulating. I’ve learned the most about Tulsi from herbalist Davin Winston, whom classifies Tulsi as a ‘probable adaptogen.’
I once had a teacher describe Tulsi as the herb to turn to when “you’re losing your center.” Whether it’s emotional overwhelm, poor focus, menopause!, or the kind of bone-deep tiredness that comes from caring too much for too long, Tulsi has a way of helping people come back to themselves.
Also - it is DELICIOUS
Some of my favorite pairings with Tulsi I regularly consume :
Tulsi & Rose
Tulsi & Lemon Balm
Tulsi & Chai spices : cinnamon, cardamom, ginger
Tulsi & Blackberry syrup to bloop into water
It’s delicious as a tea, tincture, or glycerite.
From Herbal Revolution :
”Tulsi flower essence helps bring a sense of wholeness and wellbeing to the entire body, offering nourishment energetically to our nervous system, easing the body's stress response and bringing a sense of peace, harmony, and realignment. Tulsi flower essence helps bring us closer to the sacred within, offering us illumination and clarity, helping break up old stagnant patterns of energy, thoughts, and emotions, bringing renewal to our mind and heart. Opening our heart and centering our spirit, creating a connection with the earth and the sky”
