Tulsi, Rama — Rama Tulsi, Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) seeds, organic

Syn. Ocimum sanctum

Family:  Mint (Lamiaceae)

Hardy to Zones 10 to 12, otherwise grown as a summer annual 60 days to harvest, or a potted plant brought in for the winter

(Rama Tulsi*, Tulasi, Holy Basil) Perennial bush basil originally from India–the main type grown there. These seeds are from plants grown at our farm, secluded from other basils, here in the USA.  The plants are purple stemmed with green leaves, sometimes tinted in purple, open form to 4 feet, flowers reddish purple. Highly aromatic plant, testing high in both eugenol and rosmarinic acid.  Traditional usage (Ayurveda): stress, anxiety, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and dementia.  Drinking tulsi tea in the morning is a fantastic way to get started.  Plant tulsi seeds in the spring.  Hold seeds in the palm of your hand in the direct sunlight before planting, and plant in such a way that the seeds still receive light in the pot or flat.  Scatter seeds on surface, then press in and keep evenly moist, in strong light and very warm until germination, which is rapid.  Transplant or thin to 2 feet apart.

Packet contains 50 seeds
1 g contains ~2,000 seeds
5 g contains ~10,000 seeds
10 g contains ~20,000 seeds

Certified Organically Grown

*for a discussion of morphological variability of tulsi in India, see the research article by Malay, Pandey, Bhatt, Krishnan and Bisht “Morphological variability in holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) from India,” Genet Resour Crop Evol (2015) 62:1245-1256.

Please note:  We performed chromatographic analysis of the Amrita and the Rama cultivar and found them to be virtually identical.  This plant and its seeds are now sold by us under the adage “Rama Tulsi.”