🌿 Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Ocimum tenuiflorum / Ocimum sanctum
herbs perennial shrub (annual in temperate)
🗺️ Zones
4-9
🧪 Soil pH
6.0-7.5
📏 Spacing
12-18 in. apart, 18-24 in. between rows
📅 Days to Maturity
60-75 days (from seed); harvest leaves throughout growing season starting at 40-50 days
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ []
🤝 Companions (6)
🤝 tomatoes
Tulsi repels tomato hornworms, whiteflies, and mosquitoes; research suggests it may enhance tomato growth and flavor when planted nearby.
🤝 peppers
Tulsi deters aphids, spider mites, and thrips from peppers; both enjoy similar warm, sunny conditions and well-drained soil.
Tulsi and oregano create a powerful pest-repelling aromatic barrier together; both are drought-tolerant Mediterranean-type herbs with complementary scents.
🤝 marigold
Tulsi and marigold form a dual pest-defense system — tulsi repels flying pests while marigolds deter soil nematodes; both attract pollinators.
🤝 chamomile
Chamomile enhances essential oil production in tulsi; both attract beneficial insects and share similar watering needs in the herb garden.
Tulsi repels asparagus beetles; after asparagus harvest, tulsi fills the space and prevents weeds while continuing pest protection through summer.
⚠️ Keep Apart (3)
⚠️ rue
Growth inhibition or competition
Growth inhibition or competition
⚠️ cucumbers
Growth inhibition or competition
💊 Medicinal Uses
Contains eugenol, ursolic acid, rosmarinic acid, and ocimumosides. Major Ayurvedic adaptogen and sacred plant. Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, and cardioprotective. Used for stress, anxiety, respiratory conditions, fever, and metabolic syndrome. Immunomodulatory; lowers cortisol and blood glucose levels.