Sourcing, Buying, and Growing a Curry Leaf Tree
- Thread starter DocNrock
- Start date
I'm growing one now, was given to me by a Sri Lankan neighbour.
It's an "EXTREMELY" slow growing plant. In the first year, it would been no more than about 6 inches big and dropped all of its leaves in winter. I actually thought it was dead, but left the plant to itself and it shot up from the base in spring. This year, it's over a foot and is still holding onto its leaves, so it should be good for next year.
I don't know where you could get it from in the US, you probably need to get in contact with some Indians or Sri Lankans who are keen gardeners, they'll either have it or know where you can get it.
It's an "EXTREMELY" slow growing plant. In the first year, it would been no more than about 6 inches big and dropped all of its leaves in winter. I actually thought it was dead, but left the plant to itself and it shot up from the base in spring. This year, it's over a foot and is still holding onto its leaves, so it should be good for next year.
I don't know where you could get it from in the US, you probably need to get in contact with some Indians or Sri Lankans who are keen gardeners, they'll either have it or know where you can get it.
I have a plant that was given to us as a "curry plant." It doesn't look exactly like pictures I have seen on the interwebs but the flavor seems spot on to me. It has more of a bush habit than a tree and is very slow growing.
I dug up a small one (about 9 inches) at a friend's place in Miami about 6 years ago. I agree with other posters that it is slow growing and that it loses leaves during winter. It throws out new shoots from the ground, which can be potted up as new plants. I couldn't get cuttings to root. My original plant is about 5 ft tall, and I've started four new plants. We use the leaves in Indian dishes, including a spicy rice dish. The leaves have a strong aroma that reminds people of ripe Muscadines (wild grapes that grow here in SC).
I have one of those too. I don't know what it is but it's not a curry tree. It smells like your average curry powder but from everything I've read there's no substitute for fresh curry leaves. Unfortunately I've never tried fresh curry leaves because the only time I saw them for sale here they were about $1 a leaf, and someone grabbed the only package of them as soon as I was done looking at it. 
Here's what we've got, the plant is about 3 feet tall. It is actually starting to look more like examples I have seen pics of. When we first got it the leaves on it were much smaller. This was dug up side shoots from a much larger plant at a friend's place and planted late last summer. Sorry about the weeds
My mistake... based on your previous description I assumed you had a dwarf curry plant, not sure why. If you google it you'll see what I'm talking about. It's a small bush that smells like curry but has very little flavor. My gf picked one up at a local nursery. I'll trade you...
Murraya koengii is curry tree and Helichrysum italicum is curry leaf bush but is unrelated to the tree.
Here's what we've got, the plant is about 3 feet tall. It is actually starting to look more like examples I have seen pics of. When we first got it the leaves on it were much smaller. This was dug up side shoots from a much larger plant at a friend's place and planted late last summer. Sorry about the weeds
That is what I am looking for. Any sources? The best I have been able to find is Seeds of India on the East Coast. They also have the "tree" plant, which is what I am looking for. Do you as well?
I haven't seen anything resembling a seed on this plant yet, but it was transplanted less than a year ago so I am not that surprised. I can see if a cutting will root, but not so sure how well that might hold up in the mail given the temperatures right now.
There is definitely plenty of flavor in the leaves, and also a very strong aroma.
There is definitely plenty of flavor in the leaves, and also a very strong aroma.
gardenofdelights.com has the tree for sale
That is awesome! Thank you for the link. I searched with Google for over an hour and never came up with that site. 2 to 4'! Nice. The Seeds of India site I referenced in the beginning had plants that were only 5"!
Ordering one today!
EDIT: Just ordered! Thanks again!
Good score Doc! This time next year you should have a tree that looks pretty much like mine, maybe even bigger.
Here's my one:
I'll be putting 'im into the ground in a month or two when it comes back from the dead (it's winter here).
They might appear to be a slow grower but mine grows in a huge burst once a year (after it loses it's leaves for the winter). I guess that is the nature of a semi-deciduous tree though?
I'll be putting 'im into the ground in a month or two when it comes back from the dead (it's winter here).
They might appear to be a slow grower but mine grows in a huge burst once a year (after it loses it's leaves for the winter). I guess that is the nature of a semi-deciduous tree though?
Sweeeet. 
Hope it arrives safe and sound!
Happy birthday too, BTW, mate!
Hope it arrives safe and sound!Happy birthday too, BTW, mate!
Sweeeet.
Happy birthday too, BTW, mate!
Thanks on both counts, bro!
Ours receives about 2-3 hours of full sun and the rest is filtered by taller trees. Watering is infrequent at best. Mostly the plant is ignored and it seems to be doing fine.