Tulsi

Scientific Name: Ocimum tenuiflorum, formerly Ocimum sanctum

Holy Basil is definitely my number one on the list! The aroma it gives off alone is so good, my friend Kelsey says, “If Heaven had a scent, it would be Holy Basil” and I agree! It’s herbal actions are quiet impressive as well but lets start with an introduction to this lovely gem. 

Holy Basil has long been a sacred plant in India, prized for its myriad medicinal uses and calming, uplifting nature. In the past decade, it has gained herbal superstardom status in the West, as a tasty beverage tea and panacea- the leaves and flowers are a remedy for colds, flu, sinus infections, anxiety, depression, allergies, asthma, coughs, cardiovascular disease, poor memory, and lack of concentration. The tender shoots are used throughout southern Asia as a spicier version of their affable culinary and botanical cousin, Genovese basil. In the tropics holy basil is a short-lived and semi-woody, small shrub. Elsewhere, it is grown as a frost-tender annual.

As a mint family member, tulsi has opposite leaves, a square stem, two-lipped flowers, and aromatic foliage. If allowed to grow as a perennial, tulsi grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. It can be woody at the base of the plant, especially in the tropics, where it can reach a few years of age. The leaves are generally hairy on both sides, especially the new growth, and the stem can be hairy as well. The flowers are borne in terminal racemes or panicles.

Zones: Perennial in zones 9-11; grown as a frost-sensitive annual elsewhere; plant in full sun to slight shade in temperate climates; part shade (preferably afternoon) in the tropics.

Propagation: The seed is small and should be planted shallowly; barely cover the seeds. Bottom heat is necessary if nighttime temperatures are low. Germinates in 5 to 21 days at 70-85 degrees F.

Tulsi enjoys full sun in temperate regions but doesn’t mind a little afternoon shade in warmer climates. It will grow in most any garden soils, but it grows more lushly with good fertility and consistent moisture.

As with culinary basil, pinching back the shoots and early flowers encourages the plant to bush out and promotes more vegetative growth. Tulsi truly is an early bloomer, sometimes flowering when it is only a few inches high! Pinching off those early flower helps it to develop into a well-rounded plant. I pinch it back a couple times a week for the first month it’s in the ground, making the “pinching” rounds with other herbs that also bush out with a little encouragement. I’ll hit up lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), white sage (Salvia apiana), garden sage (Salvia officinalis), and lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora) in one session. These aromatic herbal pinchings are a lovely ingredient in herbal-infused water with slices of lemon or lime. 

Harvesting: Harvest in the morning after the dew has evaporated and quickly move the harvest to the shade or to its drying location. Take care not to pile up the plants, as tulsi easily oxidizes and will turn an unsavory black color if bruised. Several harvests can be obtained in one year: simply cut back the mature plant to 8 inches and it will regrow quickly. This keeps the plants frisky and producing flushes of tender foliage. If the plant is allowed to fully flower and set seed, growth slows dramatically. It’s fine if you harvest the flowers along with the leaves; they are both medicinal. Late in the season, the harvest will be more floral. Repeat harvesting will yield more leaves along with the blooms.

Dry in bundles or on large screens. Tulsi is quite succulent, so it can take longer to dry than other leafy medicinals. After the plants are dry, strip the leaves and flowers from the stems and jar together. 

Actions: Adaptogen, antioxidant, antidepressant, anxiolytic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiviral, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, galactagogue, anticatarrhal, immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, anti-mutagenic, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, and radioprotective.

Energetics: Slightly heating and slightly drying

Medicinal Uses: Tulsi is one of those amazingly versatile herbs that should best be characterized by which medicinal actions it does NOT possess rather than which it does simply because its healing qualities are so vast. Look no wonder that tulsi is highly revered as a sacred plant and highly valued as a home remedy in many cultures throughout southern Asia and northern Africa. Holy basil’s medicinal uses were first documented over two thousand years ago. Tulsi is Sanskirt for “the incomparable one.” Few plants on this planet have won the hearts of countless humans as holy basil has.

In India, tulsi is considered a sacred plant and is planted outside homes and temples to purify and bless the surroundings. The plant is sanctified with morning prayers: it is lovingly coddled in a remarkable fashion, with a tenderness usually reserved for humans who are senstive to peoples energy. Many Indians drink tulsi on a daily basis to increase compassion, sharpen awareness, and promote focus in meditation. The woody stems is made into prayer beads, which are worn, or prayed over, to cultivate the higher emotions of compassion, devotion and love. Tulsi prayer beads are also worn to augment health and longevity.

Tulsi is a folk remedy in India for a number of common conditions, including respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, chest colds, sinus infections, allergies, and cold and flu. It benefits the respiratory tract through a number of channels: the reduction of excess mucus through its expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and anticatarrhal qualities: and its immune support through its antimicrobial and immunomodulating qualities. It is also used as a digestive aid to help with gassiness and to increase assimilation. Tulsi is given to infants to reduce colic. In Thailand, holy basil is used as a home remedy for gas, indigestion, peptic ulcers, coughs, sinusitis, and headaches.

Ayurvedic practitioners use tulsi in the reatment of type 2 diabetes, and it has demonstrated favorable effects on blood sugar levels and lipid metabolism. Holy basil is a traditional heart tonic herb, offering support from a number of medicinal actions, including its antioxidant qualities (helping to prevent free radical damage that leads to atherosclerosisP, ability to lower blood pressure, and capacity to reduce excess cholesterol.

Tulsi has quickly been adopted into the repertoire of Western herbalists, whose understanding of the plant originated with the traditional uses of the plant in southern Asia and northern Africa. My personal use of tulsi has increased proportionally with my ability to successfully cultivate it in my garden.

Tulsi helps increase focus and clarity, making it especially useful for elders with declining cognitive abilities, children and adults with ADHD, and students who are simply wishing to increase their ability to assimilate and retain new material. It can be combined with gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in formulas to increase concentration and cognition (see this remedy in the shop I created with these herbs called “Mental Clarity“). Holy basil is a fine ally for people who are naturally scattered or distracted, as it is both calming and centering. Also the “Relaxation and Clarity Tea” blend in the shop is helpful for nurturing a calm and focused disposition, especially when folds are anxious, indecisive, or distracted.

Holy basil is one of the adaptogens I use the most frequently, because it’s fairly neutral energetically and because most people have a natural affinity for the flavor and energetic qualities of the plant. It is a helpful tonic adaptogen for people going through big life changes, such as moving, starting a new job or relationship, and so on. I find tulsi helpful for both depression and anxiety, and I frequently add it to formulas as the “backbone” adaptogenic herb with calssic nervines used for depression and anxiety. For this I included it in this popular blend called “Stress-Away” tonic that I take everyday for to help me better handle the stressors of life.

Tulsi truly is one of the most versatile medicinals you can grow in your garden and bring into your apothecary and medicinal repertoire.

Precautions and Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy or if trying to conceive. There is some controversy around the use of holy basil in pregnancy, but it has been used traditionally as an abortifacient herb in some cultures. Holy basil may modify blood sugar regulation-people with diabetes should monitor blood sugar closely and talk to their physician prior to use. 

Hope you found this article helpful and will incorporate Tulsi in your own home apothecary and garden! For more information or a better understanding of adaptogens, you can visit the article here!

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