Tulsi (holy basil)
Ocimum tenuiflorum L.
Botanical family: Lamiaceae
Indian holy basil ('tulsi'), an aromatic with notes of clove, a plant revered in Hinduism and a pillar of Ayurveda.
Full sun
Rich, drained, cool
Regular
Frost-tender (annual in our climates, or in a pot brought in for winter)
Frost-tender in your zone
Role in permaculture
A perennial basil native to India, sacred in Hinduism. Aromatic and medicinal (a reputed mild adaptogen). Grown as an annual or in a pot brought in away from frost.
Good companions
Traditional companion planting (benefit not demonstrated)
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Leaves picked all summer; brought indoors in a pot for winter, as frost kills it.
Available: June, July, August, September, October.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Not advised during pregnancy; caution in case of anticoagulant treatment.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find tulsi (holy basil) in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Infusions & herbal teas
Family behaviour: Lamiaceae
In general, Lamiaceae are aromatics (basil, mint, thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender, lemon balm, savory). Their essential oils are reputed to bother some insects, but in a trial cited by Parker et al. (2013), sage, thyme and mint planted near cabbages did not reduce their pests. Their flowers are much visited by pollinators.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Hindu Vaishnava tradition, the tale of Vrinda transmitted by the Puranas · India, Puranic tradition (1st millennium AD and beyond); a still-living cult.
In the Vaishnava tradition, the tulsi is revered as the earthly form of Vrinda, a devotee of Vishnu: the Padma Purana and the Skanda Purana recount her story, and the Padma Purana promises moksha to whoever is cremated with sprigs of tulsi. Its leaves are held to be indispensable to the worship of Vishnu and Krishna, and each year the feast of Tulsi Vivah celebrates the ritual marriage of the plant with the god. What is attested is the existence of this cult and of these texts; the tale of Vrinda belongs to the Puranic myth and cannot be confused with the medicinal virtues ascribed elsewhere to the plant, which belong to a quite different register.
Padma Purana, Skanda Purana et Shiva Purana (compilations puraniques, Ier millénaire de notre ère et au-delà) pour le récit de Vrinda et le Tulsi Vivah ; Wikipédia, article « Tulasi in Hinduism » (consulté en 2026), qui cite ces trois Puranas.
A sacred and living subject, treated here with respect. The Puranas are neither datable with precision nor attributable to a single author: they cannot be made a specific historical proof. It's the Vaishnava tradition, not undifferentiated 'Hinduism'. The tale of Vrinda is a devotional legend, not an established fact, and no medicinal virtue is presented here as a fact.
Keep in mind
An adaptogen of tradition: clinical data still limited.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, drained, cool.
- • Classic companion: Tomato.