Basil, also known as the Tulsi in India, is one of the most eminent and consumed herbs. It is an aromatic, perennial, culinary, and herbaceous plant. Basil is a good source of Vitamin C and A, Zinc, Calcium, Iron, and Chlorophyll, and possesses insecticidal, antibacterial properties.
Its leaves can purify contaminated water. According to several scientific studies, Basil has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties. Additionally, it can also protect your liver, fight against cancer, prevent diabetes, protect blood vessels, reduce stress, and boost immunity.
Tulsi has a lot of healing properties and there are several types of Tulsi plants available all over the world. In this guide, we have classified them into two groups: Holy Basil and Mediterranean Basil.
Holy Basil
As mentioned above, it is also called Tulsi in India and it is one of the most respected plants in the sub-continent. Here, it is revered as the Goddess of health, wealth, and prosperity. It is also associated with Ayurveda due to its strong medicinal properties.
There are several popular varieties based on regional religious beliefs and known by common names such as Rama Tulsi and Krishna Tulsi in Sanskrit, Trittavu in Malayalam, Tulshi in Marathi, Thulsi in Telugu, Tulasi in Tamil, and Holy Basil in English. There are four popular species of Holy Basil:
- Rama Tulsi
- Krishna Tulsi
- Amrita Tulsi
- Vana Tulsi
Mediterranean Basil
It is also known as Sweet Basil and it is found all over the world including in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Sweet Basil is one of the most consumed herbs in the world and is known by many names such as Royal Herb, King of Herbs, Great Basil, and more. In Italy and Thailand, it is used in some of their most popular cuisines. Here are a few types of Mediterranean Basil:
- Sweet Basil
- Thai Basil
- Purple Basil
- Lemon Basil
- Vietnamese Basil
- American Basil
- African Blue Basil
- Italian Genovese Basil
Holy Basil
Now, let’s talk about different types of Tulsi plants in detail.
1. Rama Tulsi
Rama Tulsi is one of the most common types of Tulsi plants in India. It has pure green leaves and it can endure winters and sunlight. This plant needs more fertiliser and water as compared to other plants. Also called the Queen of herbs, Rama Tulsi is worshipped in almost every house in India.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 15 to 40-degree celsius
2. Krishna Tulsi
It has purple stems as well as purple fringed leaves with a strong and pungent taste of leaves. Krishna Tulsi has more medicinal properties than any other species.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 20 to 45-degree celsius
3. Amrita Tulsi
Amrita Tulsi is one of the lesser-known types of Tulsi plants. However, it is still sacred and has aromatic and perennial properties
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 15 to 40-degree celsius
4. Vana Tulsi
Vana Tulsi is a ceremonial plant in the Indian spiritual tradition. It can grow up to 2 metres in height and it is highly aromatic and leaves a strong clove aroma and spicy flavour.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 15 to 40-degree celsius
Mediterranean Basil
After discussing Holy Basil, let’s focus on Mediterranean Basil
1. Sweet Basil
It has big green colored leaves and stems and it is commonly grown for its aromatic qualities in cuisines.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
2. Thai Basil
The Thai Basil plant has green, pointed leaves, dark purple colored flowers, and reddish purple colored stems.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
3. Purple Basil
Purple Basil is a slow-growing variety with a more pungent flavour. It is intensely aromatic and is used in several cuisines. The plant has big purple-colored stems and leaves.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
4. Lemon Basil
The plant has green-colored leaves with white colored flowers. As the name suggests, this Basil plant has a strong lemon scent and every part of it is edible. It has a lot of names such as Hoary Basil, Lao Basil, Thai Lemon Basil, and more. Lemon Basil is a hybrid between American Basil and Sweet basil.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
5. Vietnamese Basil
It is an aromatic, perennial, and culinary type species of basil. The plant has green-colored leaves, pink-colored flowers, and a reddish purple colour stem.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
6. American Basil
The American Basil is used in several culinary dishes. It is known for its sweet flavour, rich colour, and uniformity of particle size. Despite its name, it is native to India, Africa, China, and Southeast Asia. It has green leaves, purple-colored flowers, and purple-colored stems.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
7. African Blue Basil
This plant has a strong camphor scent and other than being used in culinary dishes, it is also grown as an ornamental plant. This is because it has green leaves and purple flowers. It grows super fast and is quite bushy.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
8. Italian Genovese Basil
It is widely used in several dishes such as pesto, the traditional Genoese sauce. It is a classic Italian species with big dark green leaves.
Favourable Conditions:
Location – Outdoors
Watering – Daily, except in winters
Light – Full Sun
Temperature – Between 10 to 35-degree celsius
Cultural Importance
There are different types of Tulsi plants in India and all of them hold an important place in Indian culture. Tulsi is considered a sacred plant, which is dear to Lord Vishnu. This plant symbolises purity and is worshipped as a holy plant in India. Tulsi is named after Tulasi Devi, one of Lord Krishna’s eternal consorts.
In India, almost every house has a Tulsi plant and it is used in temples for worship and other occasions such as marriages. It is believed that Tulsi promotes longevity and happiness. Hindus worship Tulsi in the Kartik month, which starts after Sharad Poornima.
Final Thoughts
In Indian culture, Tulsi is considered a holy plant, which is worshipped daily. Women water the plant and light a diva near it every day. Other than religious importance, Tulsi has a lot of medicinal properties that can heal a number of diseases. It is also used in cooking in several cultures.
Types Of Tulsi Plant FAQs
1) How many types of Tulsi plants are there?
There are more than 100 types of Tulsi plants, but here are some of the most common ones:
Holy Basil
Mediterranean Basil
2) Which Tulsi is used for pooja?
Rama Tulsi is used for pooja. It is also called Shri Tulsi. It has pure green leaves and it can endure winters and sunlight. This plant needs more fertiliser and water as compared to other plants.
3) Why does the Tulsi plant die suddenly?
The life expectancy of a Tulsi plant is 1.5 years. Summer is the best time for this plant to grow because it loves sunlight. Unpleasant winter weather is not suited for the plant and causes it to die.
