Green Holy Basil Seeds (Ram Tulsi)

Bring a warm, clove-like fragrance to your herb garden with Green Holy Basil seeds, also known as Ram Tulsi or Sacred Basil. Its peppery, slightly spicy leaves add distinctive flavor to curries, stir-fries, chutneys, and herbal teas. Pick a few fresh leaves for the kitchen and enjoy their aromatic character as you harvest.

Meet Green Holy Basil

Ocimum tenuiflorum (syn. Ocimum sanctum) has a long history in Hindu sacred gardens and traditional Ayurvedic practices. Upright plants carry green leaves on purple-tinged stems, with small white to pale purple flowers that attract bees and other beneficial insects.

• Common names: Green Holy Basil, Ram Tulsi, and Sacred Basil.
• Flavor and fragrance: Clove-like, peppery, and slightly spicy, with a more intense character than common sweet basil.
• Plant habit: A tender perennial, commonly grown as an annual in cooler climates.
• Uses: Fresh cooking, dried herbs, herbal infusions, aromatic gardens, and sacred or ceremonial planting.

How to Sow

• Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last expected frost, or direct sow in spring after all frost danger has passed.
• Surface sow or cover lightly with fine soil, no more than 1/4 inch deep.
• Keep the seedbed warm and consistently moist, without waterlogging.
• Allow approximately 10–14 days for germination at 70–85°F; timing varies with conditions.

Growing and Care

• Transplant or thin seedlings to 12–18 inches apart.
• Choose full sun and well-drained soil.
• Water regularly while allowing excess water to drain. This herb enjoys warmth and humidity.
• Pinch flower buds to encourage bushier growth and continued leaf production, or let some plants flower for pollinators.

Climate note: This frost-sensitive herb needs protection from cold. In the previously listed USDA Zones 8–10, perennial survival depends on local winter conditions and protection; grow it as an annual where frost occurs.

Harvesting and Kitchen Uses

Harvest leaves and tender stems as needed once plants are well established. Use fresh leaves in curries, stir-fries, soups, chutneys, rice, and noodle dishes, or dry them for later use in herbal infusions. Holy basil is distinct from sweet Thai basil, so choose it for its characteristic spicy, clove-like flavor.

Choose Your Seed Pack

Available options are a 500-seed pack, 2,000 seeds in bulk, 5,000 seeds in bulk, or a 1-ounce pack. Select your preferred size before adding to your cart.