Holy Basil/ Tulsi
ocimum tenuiflorum

days to maturity: 60 days
plant spacing: 1-3 plants per square foot
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for: aphids
harvest notes: harvest whole branches 6” down
season: fall, winter, spring, summer
perennial

Holy Basil is a highly-valued, potent medicinal plant, sacred to Hindus and practitioners of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medicine tradition. It has been used medicinally and spiritually in India for thousands of years, for which it has no equal. Ayurveda classifies tulsi as an adaptogen, helping the body to cope with stressors of all forms: emotional, physical, and environmental. Spiritually, Tulsi is thought to offer divine protection - the plant an incarnation of the goddess, Tulsi in Hindu mythology. Many Indian families grow Tulsi inside or outside their homes for protection from misery, fear, poverty and disease.