As recorded for Tulsi
Ocimum sanctum
Tulsi तुलसी
Hindi name · See all regional names ↓
Also known as Holy Basil, Sacred Basil, Basil
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
Tulsi in regional languages
Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.
| Language | Regional script | Recorded Latin spelling |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | तुलसी | Tulsi |
| Malayalam | Not recorded | Trittavu |
| Marathi | Not recorded | Tulshi |
| Manipuri | ꯇꯨꯜꯁꯤ | Tulsi |
| Angami | Not recorded | Nhietso, Nietso |
| Kannada | ತುಳಸಿ · ತೊಳಸಿ | Tulasi, Tolasi |
See the original recorded names
- Hindi
- Tulsi तुलसी
- Malayalam
- Trittavu
- Marathi
- Tulshi
- Manipuri
- ꯇꯨꯜꯁꯤ Tulsi
- Angami
- Nhietso, Nietso
- Kannada
- ತುಳಸಿ Tulasi, ತೊಳಸಿ Tolasi
Ecology & growing context
- Native status · Kew WCVP
- WCVP native range includes Andaman Is., Assam, India, Nicobar Is., West Himalaya Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; listed synonym of Ocimum tenuiflorum. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Trop. & Subtrop. Asia to W. Pacific.
- Recorded habitat
- Scrub forests, deciduous forests and wastelands
- Explore nearby plants
- Gujarat →Tamil Nadu →West Bengal →
Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.
How to identify Tulsi
Identify Tulsi by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a undershrub habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Sacred basil (tulsi).
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm leaf shape: Ovate.
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- Confirm flower arrangement: Raceme.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: Throughout the year.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Ocimum sanctum
- Genus
- Ocimum
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Habitat
- Scrub forests, deciduous forests and wastelands
- Distribution
- Paleotropics
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“they are simple, petioled, with an ovate blade up to 5 cm (2 in) long, which usually has a slightly toothed margin;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“they are simple, petioled, with an ovate blade up to 5 cm (2 in) long, which usually has a slightly toothed margin;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- ToothedrecordedA saw-like or jagged edge (serrate or dentate).“they are simple, petioled, with an ovate blade up to 5 cm (2 in) long, which usually has a slightly toothed margin;” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- Pubescent (softly hairy)recorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Tulsi itself; the rest are typical of the Lamiaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
- Flower arrangement
- RacemerecordedIndividual stalked flowers arranged along a central stem, opening from bottom to top.“The purplish flowers are placed in close whorls on elongated racemes.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Nutlets
Characters marked “recorded” are for Tulsi itself; the rest are typical of the Lamiaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Tulsi
Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) belongs to the Lamiaceae family, where it grows as a low shrub. In India it has been recorded in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and 1 other states. It grows in scrub forests, deciduous forests and wastelands. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.
Uses
It is long used in traditional medicine and distilled for an aromatic oil. Those medicinal uses are traditional attributions, not medical advice.
In culture
It is treated as sacred and appears in worship.
Lamiaceae
Mint/Sage family
Tulsi belongs to the Lamiaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Lamiaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides