Basil, Tulsi / Sacred (Organic)

Ocimum africanum. 50-60 days.

Tulsi / Sacred basil is one of the best herbs to grow for tea. It smells like paradise in a teacup and also in the garden when you walk by. When it’s flowering, all of the little pollinators think so too. The flavor is a little fruity with an accent of clove and vanilla, making it seem slightly sweet. Many types of holy basil have been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine as an anti-inflammatory and for helping to alleviate stress. The O. tenuiflorum species of tulsi is more commonly grown in tropical areas, however this “temperate” strain is more cool-weather tolerant and productive in northern latitudes. It produces lots of healing and delicious aromatics and we have noticed that it has a similar same flavor to traditional South Asian tulsi with some added fruity and vanilla notes. Richo Cech of Strictly Medicinal Seeds has confirmed that it contains the important medicinal compounds Eugenol and Rosmarinic Acid, although in slightly less concentration than the O. tenuiflorum species. This strain comes to us from Wild Garden Seed, who has been growing it since 1983. It can be traced back to the Abundant Life Seed Foundation, and is sometimes called the ‘Abundant Life’ strain.

Aka, Temperate Tulsi. Some sources have erroneously listed the Temperate Tulsi / Sacred basil species as Ocimum americanum, O. sanctum or O. tenuiflorum. We inaccurately listed the species as O. tenuiflorum for many years. But there is a developing understanding that it should be considered O. africanum or Ocimum x africanum.  O. africanum is a long stabilized interspecific hybrid of O. basilicum and O. americanum. Recent genetic testing has shown that Thai Lemon basil is best classified as this species and possibly Temperate Tulsi / Sacred basil as well. However others believe it to be the purposed Ethiopian species O. bisabolenum due to its chemical profile.