Tulsi, Vana

Tulsi, Vana (Ocimum gratissimum)
Also known as: Wild Holy Basil, African Basil, Tree Basil

Vana Tulsi is a wild variety of holy basil traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine for its adaptogenic, immune-boosting, and respiratory-supporting properties. Native to India and East Africa, this fragrant, woody perennial has larger, coarser leaves than other tulsi types and a strong, spicy-clove aroma. Vana Tulsi is revered as the most potent and sattvic of the three main sacred basils—Krishna, Rama, and Vana—and is especially valued for mental clarity, stress reduction, and lung support.

Key Characteristics

• Deeply Aromatic and Highly Medicinal
  Vana Tulsi is rich in eugenol, carvacrol, and other essential oils, giving it a powerful clove-like scent and strong antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory actions. It's widely used in tinctures, infusions, teas, and steam inhalations to support respiratory health, stress regulation, and mental focus.

• Adaptogen for Stress and Energy Balance
  As a classic Ayurvedic adaptogen, Vana Tulsi helps the body adapt to physical and emotional stress. Traditionally consumed as a daily tea, it’s known to calm the nervous system while enhancing alertness and endurance—ideal for daily tonics, tea blends, and mind-body balance.

• Grows Large and Woody—Ideal for Herb Fences and Borders
  This is the tallest and most perennial of the tulsi types, often reaching 3–6 feet in a single season in warm climates. It has a woody base, bushy form, and strong upright growth, making it great for herbal hedges, pollinator borders, or living fences in tropical and subtropical gardens.

• Attracts Pollinators and Beneficial Insects
  Vana Tulsi blooms from mid-summer to frost with spikes of tiny white flowers that are loved by native bees, hoverflies, and honeybees. Its nectar-rich blossoms provide extended forage for pollinators, especially in herbal gardens and pollinator strips.

Product Details

• Native range: India and East Africa

• Plant life cycle: Tender perennial (grown as annual in cold climates)

• Sun requirements: Full sun

• Soil requirements: Medium, well-drained, fertile

• Mature height: 3–6 feet

• Bloom time: July to October

• Bloom color: White

• USDA Hardiness zones: 10–11 (annual in zones 4–9)

Vana Tulsi is the wild, woody queen of sacred basils—potent, aromatic, and deeply healing. It brings structure and energy to herbal gardens and stress relief to the body and mind.