Ocimum tenuifolium
Origin: India
Improvement status: Cultivated material
Seeds per packet: ~150
Germination tested 11/2020: 90%
Lifecycle: Annual
An Indian basil famous for its delicious flavor and sacred reputation in the Hindu faith. Also known as "holy basil," tulsi is considered an "adaptogen", meaning it is thought to be a general health tonic. Tulsi Kapoor is one of four main types of tulsi (the others being Rama, Krishna, and Vana). It contains vitamins A and C, along with calcium, zinc, and iron, and other beneficial nutrients. It is used traditionally in the treatment of ailments ranging from bronchitis to malaria to arthritis. Many people drink tulsi tea every day. In parts of South Asia nearly every home grows at least a bit of tulsi. Harvest leaves and flowers to make its lovely tea, or use in cooking. The dried leaves are used as an insect repellent in stored grain, and the fresh leaves are rubbed on the skin as a mosquito repellent. In the tropics, tulsi kapoor can grow as a perennial, but it takes well to annual production too. Our seed was grown by Clint Freund and Kass McKinnon of Cultivating the Commons in Madison, Wisconsin.
GROWING TIPS: Transplant in healthy plant starts after danger of last frost, or direct seed 1/4 inch deep. Plant spacing could be 12-14 inches.
