Plant family: Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae
Plant origin: Tropical Africa.
Fruit description: Indian Tamarind have bulging bean pods up to 18cm long. The dark brown pulp inside the ripe bean pods, has a sweet and sour tangy flavour that enhances spicy food. The seeds inside the pulp are shiny, brown, and square shaped, about 12mm long, they are not edible.
Flowers: Indian Tamarind flowers are pretty and yellow, and produced in Summer on short bunches on the top of the branches among the leaves. Each flower is small with five petals.
Growing conditions: The Indian Tamarind is a long-lived, stately, evergreen tree with a ferny foliage of small leaves which close at night. It can grow to 10 metres in height. It can grow in most soils, coastal areas and can withstand strong winds. Indian Tamarind trees can tolerate some frost and drought, and prefer a warm, subtropical, or tropical climate.
Uses: Use the Indian Tamarind fruit pulp in Indian, African, Mexican, Thai and Indonesian cooking. It goes well in curries, especially with fish, also delicious in pickles, chutneys and sauces. It can be dried to preserve it and reconstituted in hot water when required. It can also be preserved as a paste with salt or sugar. Indian Tamarind fruit pulp makes a refreshing drink when mixed with water. The pulp is rich in calcium, iron and B vitamins. The leaves are edible as a cooked green or in a salad.
Medicinal uses: Indian Tamarind fruit pulp is an effective laxative. It is traditionally used in some countries to treat problems with digestion. The leaves have antibacterial properties.
Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.
Harvest time Indian Tamarind fruit is ready to pick when the pulp is dark reddish brown. When ripe, the skin of the pod becomes dry and brittle, pick the ripe pods from the tree.
Plant relatives
Special features: The timber of an Indian Tamarind tree is rich red, and makes attractive furniture and tools.
Grown by method: Seed Grown Pot size: 100mm
Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 2.5 metres high by 2 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 10 metres high by 5 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.
Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 100mm
