THIS PLANT CAN DO WONDERS

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# About me. I'm Pravil sabu and I'm a B.tech graduate lives in Kerala, the southern most state of India. Kerala is well known for its biodiversity and presence of numerous medicinal plants. Even the famous book "Hortus Malabaricus" by Hendrik van Rheede and Itti Achuden Vaidyar is based on medicinal plants in kerala and its uses. And here I like to write about the most common and useful plant in my region. ### "THULASI" Have you ever heard about "THULASI"? If the answer is no...I'm introducing you The Holy basil. Holy basil, also called tulsi or tulasi, flowering plant of the mint family (Lamiaceae) grown for its aromatic leaves. Holy basil is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows throughout Southeast Asia. And as a south Indian this plant is obligatory.

Now you might thing what is special about this plant...…?How the word HOLY gets in it.....? And here we go. The plant is widely used in Ayurvedic and folk medicine, often as an herbal tea for a variety of ailments. And have importance in Hinduism. OK ..Stop what is a herbal tea ? How can i make it ? You can make holy basil tea using the leaves, flowers, or dried leaf powder. The herb can also be used to make freshly brewed tea by placing 2–3 teaspoons of holy basil in a cup of boiling water and letting it steep for 5–6 minutes. Tulsi tea helps maintain dental & oral health. Back to the plant. It is also used as a culinary herb with a pungent flavour that intensifies with cooking. It is considered an agricultural weed and an invasive species in some areas outside its native range.

The holy basil plant is a short-lived perennial shrub, up to 1 metre in height. the stem is so hard even if it looks skinny. The fragrant leaves are green or purple, depending on the variety. The small white tubular flowers have green or purple sepals and are borne in spikes. The fruits are nutlets and produce numerous seeds. Will they survive all the climatic conditions..? NO. winter season is the most important season, because most of the tulsi plants die off in this season because tulsi plant love the hot climate but the cold climate will make tulsi plant branches & leaf to turn black and die. #### Importance in "HINDUISM"

Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi; she is regarded as the avatar of Lakshmi, and thus the consort of the god Vishnu. The beginning of the Hindu wedding season is marked by a festival known as Tulsi Vivah,(Vivah - wedding) in which homes and temples ceremonially wed holy basil to Vishnu. It is also used in funerals. #### Tulsi's Medicinal Uses & Benefits.

1.Promotes Healthy Heart. Holy basil contains vitamin C and antioxidants such as eugenol, which protects the heart from the harmful effects of free radicals. ... 2.Treats Kidney Stones. 3.Relieves Headaches. 4.Fights Acne. 5.Relives Fever. 6.Eye Health. 7.Oral Health. 8.Anti-aging. #### What do I do with thulasi...? I often use to drink water by pouring some leaf's in it. It gives me a pungent smell and a good taste. And I prefer to drink herbal tea made with thulasis flower and leaf's while I suffer from cold or fever. It gives me a lot of relief.The above mentioned photos have been taken from my backyard. Have you ever use thulasi. If yes share your experience in my comment box. Thank you for reading my small blog This post is in response to the Garden Journal challenge, hosted by @riverflows, that you can find [here](https://ecency.com/hive-120078/@riverflows/garden-journal-early-april-2021).
Originally posted here: https://hive.blog/hive-120078/@pravilsabu/this-plant-can-do-wonders