Tulsi is Ocimum tenuiflorum, a sacred basil in many Indian homes and a mint-family herb with a sharp clove-like scent. Linnaeus also published Ocimum sanctum; Kew treats that name as a synonym. A bottled “adaptogen” is a different thing from the plant.
- Botanical name
- Ocimum tenuiflorum L.
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Tamil
- Tulasi
- Hindi
- Tulsi
- Sanskrit
- Tulasī
- Parts used
- Leaves, Flowering tops
- Habit
- Perennial herb or subshrub of seasonally dry tropical Asia
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Tulsi
Ocimum tenuiflorum is a Lamiaceae: square young stems, opposite leaves, two-lipped flowers in interrupted spikes. Leaves are usually smaller and more serrate than sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), and the smell is more camphor and clove than pesto.
Gardeners in India often distinguish Rama (green) and Krishna (dark-leaved) types. Those are cultivated forms, not separate Kew-accepted species. Ocimum gratissimum (clove basil, ram tulsi in some markets) is a different species and should not be silently substituted.
Kew lists a native range across tropical Asia into the Pacific, with India included, and introductions in parts of Africa and the Americas. A pot on a Tamil courtyard and a wild plant on a dry bank can be the same species.
The older name Ocimum sanctum still appears on packets. It is the same accepted species under a synonym. Ask for O. tenuiflorum if you need the name a botanist will file.
Traditional use of Tulsi
Hindu household and temple practice
Tulasi is grown in a courtyard brick stand, offered in pūjā, and taken as a leaf with water or tea. That religious and household use is older than any supplement brand and does not require a disease claim.
Living household practice across India
Ayurveda and Siddha
Leaves appear in traditional recipes for seasonal colds and as a general household herb. Those recipes belong to their systems of quality and dose. Repeating them here as “cures” would be both dishonest and unlawful.
Traditional materia medica headings
Modern notes on Tulsi
Essential-oil chemistry (eugenol and related phenylpropanoids) is well described for Ocimum species, but composition varies by type, soil and harvest. A tea is not an essential-oil capsule.
Human trials on “holy basil extracts” exist and are uneven. A scented leaf is not a medicine for blood sugar, anxiety or infection.
Kew records medicinal, food and social uses. We treat that as ethnobotany: a map of how people have used a plant, not a prescription.
Tulsi safety
Culinary or temple-leaf amounts are the familiar exposure. Concentrated extracts and essential oils are stronger and can irritate.
People who are pregnant, on anticoagulants, or scheduled for surgery should not start high-dose tulsi extracts without clinical advice.
Do not give essential oil by mouth. Do not tell anyone this plant treats a named disease.
Ecology and sourcing
Tulsi is easy to grow from seed or cuttings in Indian heat. It likes sun and does not want wet feet. A household plant is the opposite of a threatened wild herb.
Related plants
Also in Lamiaceae
Questions about Tulsi
Is tulsi the same as Ocimum sanctum?
Ocimum sanctum L. is a synonym. The accepted name is Ocimum tenuiflorum L.
Is holy basil the same as sweet basil?
No. Sweet basil is usually Ocimum basilicum. Tulsi is Ocimum tenuiflorum. They smell and cook differently.
Sources
- Ocimum tenuiflorum L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q960124 (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.