How to Grow Holy Basil (2024)

FAQs

Can you grow holy basil in the US? ›

Easily propagated by seed or a cutting, holy basil is grown as an annual in most of the United States, but it will grow as a perennial in warmer climates and can even do well as an indoor plant in the right conditions.

Holy Basil thrives in sunlight, but the midday sun can be a bit of a bully. To prevent your plant from getting a sunburn, shade is your ally. During peak sunlight hours, typically from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., consider using a sheer curtain or a shade cloth as a sunblock.

The tiny seedlings can take time to grow, but holy basil will grow rapidly once outdoors, with temperatures more than 60 degrees. During the growing season, regularly pinch out flower heads to promote bushy plant growth and prolong the plant's productive life. Holy basil can be easily grown indoors as well.

Rick holding up a Holy Basil bush on a farm tour with Goddard schools to demonstrate the size. Now, here is what everyone should know before you grow it: It is extremely invasive.

Holy basil has many edible parts, the flowers, leaves, seeds, and extract can all be used medicinally. The fresh flowers are used to treat bronchitis, the leaves and seeds are used to treat malaria, and extracts can be used for stomach ulcers and eye diseases. The entire plant can be used to treat nausea and vomiting.

Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors, providing you can give it enough light. As with many other herbs, basil is a true sun-lover—give it four hours of light each day, and it will thrive.

Water regularly. Basil likes to stay moist and requires approximately 1 inch of water every week. Water deeply at least once a week to keep roots growing deep and the soil moist. Basil growing in containers will need more frequent watering.

The holy basil gives this fresh scent a much appreciated complexity. A musky wonderful clean smell that just elevates the lavender ingredient. It is calming and crisp.

Tulsi is an aromatic shrub in the basil family Lamiaceae (tribe ocimeae) that is thought to have originated in north central India and now grows native throughout the eastern world tropics.[2] Within Ayurveda, tulsi is known as “The Incomparable One,” “Mother Medicine of Nature” and “The Queen of Herbs,” and is revered ...

Can holy basil cause anxiety? ›

Holy basil has been shown to have antidepressant and antianxiety properties similar to antidepressant drugs. Studies have shown that it can help people feel more social and less anxious.

Plant. In Hinduism, holy basil is a Goddess, and all aspects of the plant are sacred. Keeping a holy basil plant within the home may have mental and spiritual benefits. Additionally, the plant can act as an insect repellent, keeping flies and mosquitos away.

Holy Basil (Tulsi) requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡. Holy Basil (Tulsi) doesn't require additional humidity.

Holy Basil thrives in warmth. The sweet spot? 70°F (21°C) to 80°F (27°C), a range that echoes its tropical origins.

While Thai basil presents stronger licorice flavor, holy basil has a more peppery, clove flavor. And in terms of appearance, holy basil is slightly larger and more oval shaped with a green stem.

Tulsi, also known as holy basil, gets its name because of its classification as a sacred herb for Hindus and its long-term association as a medicinal herb.