Holy basil

Ocimum tenuiflorum

Tulsi. A sacred/culinary basil with clove-camphor notes, not the sweet pesto species. Leaves are a tea herb and a stir-fry herb (Thai holy basil dishes may use related Ocimum cultivars — check what you planted).

GROW → HARVEST → EAT → DRY → POWDER → CAPSULE → GUMMY — forms are not equivalent. Food first.

Identity

NameHoly basil

Scientific nameOcimum tenuiflorum

FamilyLamiaceae

Typeculinary herb

Climate / zonesAnnual in frost; perennial in tropics

LightFull sun, heat

Also called: tulsi, Ocimum sanctum

What it is

From the existing encyclopedia

Tulsi is a dried botanical traded as cut leaf, flower, seed, or root for tea and seasoning. Rehydrate dried forms in warm water before adding to long braises for even texture. Works alongside green tea or ginger in everyday beverage rotation. When substituting dried Tulsi for fresh, use about one-third the volume and bloom in fat or hot water before adding acid or dairy.

Edible portions

leaves
flowers

Absence of a portion from this list means it is not treated as food here — not that every other part is toxic.

Growing

Climate. Annual in frost; perennial in tropics
Light. Full sun, heat
Soil. Well-drained, moderate water
Planting. Warmth like sweet basil; pinch for bushiness.
Harvest. Leafy tips; flavor is stronger and more medicinal than sweet basil.

Preparation and culinary uses

Tea; some Thai stir-fries depending on cultivar

Traditional uses

Traditional use Ayurvedic tulsi tea — traditional use

AAA interpretation Traditional use is not automatically evidence, and evidence is not automatically a shopping recommendation.

Next steps

Eat it Eat hub Grow it How we treat evidence Food vs supplement

Sources

USDA PLANTS Database — taxonomy and range (verify current entries)
No USDA FoodData Central nutrient profile is attached here. That is not a claim that the plant contains no nutrients.
State cooperative extension growing guides — verify for your region
Integrated from the existing aaaLifetime / quantum-biohack encyclopedia corpus (unique text preserved where it was not boilerplate).

Honest incompleteness is preferred to fabricated completeness. If a section is missing, no record for it is attached here — not a claim that the plant lacks that characteristic, and not that it was omitted as a secret.

Internal quality class A. Strong page: distinctive plant facts plus practical growing or kitchen use.