Names: |
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| Family | Rutaceae. |
| Genus & Species | Murraya koenigii |
| AKA | Bergera koenigii. Chalcas koenigii. |
| Common Name | Curry Leaf. |
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| Size/Shape | Compact bush. Small tree. Grows to 3' in containers. A handsome, short, shrubby tree. 5 feet tall in a 2 gallon container. |
| Leaves | Foliage is segmented. This plant is quite ornamental due to its compound leaves. |
| Flowers | White/near white. The small white flowers are 5/16 of an inch across. |
| Blooming Season | Summer. Early spring to mid summer. |
| Fragrance | Pungent scent. Not everyone like the scent of the flowers. Pungent, aromatic leaves. A pleasant aroma. Fresh and pleasant, remotely reminiscent of tangerines. Famous for its aromatic leaves. Flowers are sweetly scented. |
Use |
Used mostly as an ingredient in curries. Extensively used in Southern India and Sri Lanka and are absolutely necessary for the authentic flavour. Use fresh leaves as dried curry leaves lose their fragrance within days. Because of their soft texture, they are never removed from food before serving, and can be eaten without any hazard. Sri Lankan cooks often use aromatic spices native to the island (cinnamon, cardamom) and fresh leaves (curry leaves, pandanus leaves and lemon grass; the latter two are not in common use in India). Curry leaves may be kept in the refrigerator for some time, but are better kept frozen - do not remove them from the branches until ready to use. The leaves are used as an important food flavoring in Indian and Asian cuisine. When cooking, the leaves are generally used fresh off of the tree. The fruits are very sweet and are eaten fresh when very ripe. Some people find the fruit's flavour unpleasant. Do not eat the seed that's inside the fruit. Recipes: http://tinyurl.com/l6pkd |
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| Propagation | Use very fresh seed. Let berries ripen fully to black, then peel the skin off and plant them in moist soil - I get about 99% germination by this method. Wash the seeds before planting. Plant at 3/4" depth. By seed or by root suckers. Root cuttings. |
| Soil | Well drained. A soil mix consisting of 1 part peat moss to 2 parts loam to 1 part sand or perlite. Very well drained soil. |
| Water | Likes high humidity. Do not keep the soil wet. Allow the soil to dry to 1/2" depth before watering again. Keep watered during warm months, dont water during cold months. Requires consistently moist soil. Do not let dry out between waterings. The soil should be allowed to thoroughly dry between waterings. Water very sparingly during the winter months. On the dry side. |
| Food | Fertilize weekly during the growing season. Do not feed in winter. Feed in summer. |
Pruning |
Flowers and berries can be pruned to increase the plant's energy for producing leaves. |
| Light | Full sun. Full sun or partial shade. |
| Climate | Zone 9 and higher. Minimum 55°. Not below 65°. |
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| Source to Buy | Logees plant. Banana Tree seeds. |
| http://tinyurl.com/ndedm | |
Pictures: |
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