Tulsi Or Holy Basil? Here’s The Botanical Name You Should Know

Tulsi, widely known as Holy Basil, is a treasured plant in Indian homes, worshipped in temples, brewed in teas, and trusted in home remedies. But beyond its cultural and medicinal fame lies a more formal identity: its scientific name.
Hero Image


Whether you’re a student, researcher, or just a curious plant lover, knowing Tulsi’s botanical classification helps you understand how it fits into the global family of medicinal herbs. Let’s explore its scientific name, classification, and origins in simple terms.

Scientific Name of Tulsi (Holy Basil)


The officially recognised scientific name of Tulsi is Ocimum tenuiflorum , although Ocimum sanctum is also commonly used in scientific literature. These names follow the binomial nomenclature system introduced by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, which gives every species a universal two-part Latin name.