Plants ordered today will begin shipping mid-March 2024
Tulsi, Vana — Holy Basil (Ocimum gratissimum) potted plant, organic
$8.50 – $21.95
Family: Mint (Lamiaceae)
Hardy to Zones 10 to 12, otherwise grown as a potted plant and brought in for the winter
(Vana Tulsi, Clove Basil, African Basil, Vantulasi, Wild Holy Basil, Tree Basil) Perennial bush basil to 5 feet, native to India and East Africa, a wild species brought into cultivation. The plants are woody-stemmed and actually overwinter indoors more readily than the other tulsi types. I have brought them successfully through a winter in gallon pots on an indoor windowsill. If you do this, they can be transplanted outdoors after frost and they grow fast! Source of eugenol (oil of clove). The plant is handsome and aromatic, slightly hairy, green-leaved. As a garden grown tea herb, it weighs up heavily and may be used by itself or blended with leaves of other types of tulsi. Traditional usage (Ayurveda): stress, anxiety, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and dementia. Drinking tulsi tea in the morning is a fantastic way to get started. Space plants 2 to 3 feet apart.
Potted plant, Certified Organically Grown
Vana Tulsi: 8.89 Eugenol, 3.51 Rosmarinic Acid
Question
cpinc (verified owner) –
How do you make a tea with this plant?
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Richo Cech –
hello cpinc, thanks for writing! Serendipitously enough, I am just now writing on this in the “African Basil” section of my up and coming book. Vana tulsi is high yielding. one picks the upper 1/3 of the plant prior to flowering, dries it on screens in a warm place with good ventilation, turning daily for even dehydration, then rubs through our medium herb rubbing screen to make the tea cut. Standard recipe is 1 teaspoon per cup of hot water, covered and allowed 4 minutes to steep, pass through a strainer and drinks. richo
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Question
Allegra Chesnut –
How much cold can this tulsi take? Could it overwinter in a small greenhouse in zone 9b (which is tending ever-closer to zone 10 as the climate continues to warm — we no longer have any frosts here). The temp in the greenhouse never falls below 40 degrees F but I’m not sure if that will be warm enough. Thanks for any advice you can give me on this.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Allegra, You left this question on the Vana Tulsi which overwinters more readily than any of the other types. All tulsi is going to slow growth and drop leaves during the coldest part of the year–you probably won’t be seeing flowers in February even in a greenhouse in 9b. I have an AMRITA mamma that overwintered here in a heated Z7 greenhouse where the temp was set to 50. Looked skeletal this winter but now is covered with new growth. The herb is easy to start from seed–overwintering is not really that critical–but it certainly can be done. r
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Tamara Johnson –
Mine has overwintered in a greenhouse beautifully in the 9 zone.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Yes, thank you, these perennialize and overwinter better than any of the other tulsis. Richo
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Casey (verified owner) –
I live in zone 5 and have planted mine in a very large pot outdoors, planning on bringing it in for winter. How much water does this plant like? Is it ok to have it in afternoon sun?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Casey, Unless the plant gets rain, I would water it every three days or so. All tulsi likes plenty of sun! Richo
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Question
Samee –
What size pots are these plants grown in? I would like to place an order but, i want to know the size of the plant containers before I purchase them.
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Admin Richo Cech –
The Vana tulsi were started last year in the fall and have grown significantly. They are in our standard 3 inch pots.
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