Curry leaves can be easily grown from both seeds and cuttings. Also, know as Murraya koenigii or Bergera koenigii.
The seeds are better at faster germination. Learn How to grow curry leaves from seeds and How to plant them the right way is important. Learn more.
What Is Curry Leaf Plant?
Curry plant leaves are a key ingredient in a popular spicy Asian condiment known as curry.
Among the various herbs and spices that go into making curry seasoning Lemongrass, Rosemary, Basil, Bay leaves, and curry leaf plants occasionally provide a distinctive taste.
- The leaves of the curry leaf herb are used in cooking as an aromatic, while the plant’s fruit is utilized in various Eastern country sweets.
- The extract of the leaf plant is a modest shrub or small tree, reaching a maximum height of between 13 and 19 feet.
- The little white blooms of this tropical or subtropical shrub are followed by tiny black berries.
- This fruit may be eaten; however, the seed is dangerous and should be removed before consumption.
- The leaves are the plant’s most noticeable feature; they are alternately placed here on a shaft and pinnate, and they are composed of numerous leaflets.
- The perfume is most strong and enticing when the foliage is first picked when they release a smell that is both spicy and heady.
Curry Leaf Planting is a simple process with some upkeep required. This article will guide you through the process of planting curry leaves.
What Is Curry Leaf Plant Good For?
Even though they have a strong, unique smell and spicy flavor, they’re a healthy and nutritious addition to any diet.
Including curry leaves in your diet may aid in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as dysentery, diarrhea, hyperglycemia, morning sickness, and vertigo.
Curry leaves are often used to aid in the elimination of harmful poisons and excess fat from the body.
How to grow curry leaves from seeds
Although it may be difficult to get seeds to germinate, curry plants may be easily multiplied by cuttings or seeds.
- Taking a leaf, or a group of leaves, with its petiole or stem still attached, can allow you to start a new plant from scratch.
- Choose a piece of stems from a curry plant or shrub that measures at least 3 inches in length and has numerous leaves if you can harvest it yourself.
- Your cutting should have the lowest inch of leaves removed before being planted in a soilless potting mix.
- Keep the cutting warm and wet for the first 4 weeks until it takes root by misting it often.
- It’s far simpler to cultivate curry plants from cuttings than it is to do so from seed.
- The seeds of a curry plant should be sown in ordinary potting soil and kept at a damp but not drenching humidity. To germinate, seeds require a constant, uniformly distributed water supply and a temp of at minimum 68 degrees.
- If drainage is a problem, amend the soil. Don’t give up if at first, you don’t succeed in getting your seeds to germinate; that’s just how it is.
Benefits Of Curry Leaf Plant
1. Managing Cholesterol
It has been shown that curry leaves may help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.
The high antioxidant content of these bushes inhibits the oxidation of cholesterol, a process that results in Cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol).
Increasing levels of High – density lipoprotein, reduces the risk of atherosclerotic and cardiovascular disease.
2. Digestion
Curry leaves have been used for centuries due to their beneficial effects on digestion. In Hinduism, it’s said to have moderate laxative effects that aid in the elimination of excess gas and bloating.
3. Fighting Infection
The peroxidation or infection that underlies half of all diseases is a given. Antibiotic resistance is rising, making it imperative to find new ways of treating infections.
Here is where curry leaves deliver on their promise. Curry leaves are packed with triazole alkaloids, chemicals having antiviral, antibacterial, and pro activities.
The component linalool, which gives these bushes their floral aroma, is also capable of killing germs and neutralizing cell-damaging reactive species.
4. Healthy Eyes And Hair
- Curry leaves high levels of vitamin A to help to prevent retinal damage.
- Night blindness, vision problems, and hazy vision are just a few of the symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency that may affect the eyes.
- As a result, the retina is protected and eyesight loss is prevented thanks to the leaves.
- Turmeric is very effective in repairing damaged hair, giving limp hair volume, and reinforcing hair with a weak shaft.
- Dandruff may be treated with leaf extract since it has proven to be an anti-fungal as well.
Types Of Curry Leaf Plants
Despite the name, curry leaves do not come from a plant at all; rather, they are the fruit of a small to medium-sized bush or shrub-like tree.
Curry leaf trees are of the same species, but there are three different types, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks.
Normal, tiny, and gamthi are the three basic types.
The height and spread of a typical curry leaf tree may be anywhere from six to fifteen feet and between four and twelve feet, respectively.
Curry Leaves Planting
In much of the United States, you can grow curry leaves all year round.
1. Growing Conditions
All three types of curry are sensitive to frost, thus outdoor cultivation is only recommended in climates where the temperature seldom drops below freezing.
2. Area
Full-sized trees can survive in zones 9-12, while some variants can survive in zones 8-11.
If you happen to reside outside of one of these specific zones, you may still grow to curry well by just planting it in pots.
Then, you may leave them outdoors throughout the hotter seasons and bring them inside well before the first frost of winter.
3. Weather
Choose an area that gets enough sun, stays nice and toasty, and has soil that drains well for your extract of leaf plants.
4. Watering
In all other respects, it is a fairly easy plant to care for. It can survive in semi-arid conditions and doesn’t need a lot of water.
5. Soil Conditions
Curry leaf plants may thrive in low-quality soil and aren’t picky about the pH of their environment. If planted in some kind of windy area, you may need to stake it.
Maintenance And Care
Once it’s been established, it requires little care. However, it normally takes a young plant about 2-3 years to reach full maturity.
Shorter, smaller curry plants should be protected from direct sunlight during hot weather, and too damp circumstances are like dynamite to the curry leaf plant, so make sure the pots or beds have enough drainage.
Pruning
Young plants may be trained to produce extra branches and leaves by pinching off their tips. Make sure your curry plant is generating as much foliage as possible by cutting it back in the spring.
Take flowers when you see them so the plant may put its energy into making leaves.
Changing The Container
When you see the roots of your adult curry leaf plants emerging through the drainage holes, it’s time to move them to a bigger container.
Do this carefully to avoid damaging the plant’s root systems. Your plant, if it’s been around for ten years, has to be moved to a thirty-gallon pot.
Fertilization
Light fertilization, such as a diluted kelp solution, should be applied to your curry plants once per week (unless you are cultivating the gamthi kind, which only requires weekly fertilization throughout the summer).
If you live in a chilly climate, you should lay your dormant curry plants inside.
| Winter | Fall | Summer | Spring | |
| Planting | No | Only if necessary | No | Yes |
| Fertilizing | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Watering | 3-4 weeks | Every Week | 2-4 days | Every Week |
| Sunlight | Window | Full Sun | Partial shade | Full Sun |
| Pruning | No | Only if necessary | No | Do |
What Kind Should You Buy?
The full-sized curry plant is the most widely grown, and its leaves are the ones you’ll find in grocery shops.
But if you’re limited on space and don’t think you’ll need that many curry leaves, the gamthi type is worth a go.
You’ll find different types of curry leaves plants for sale when you go to buy one. Choose the type which best suits your needs.
How to grow curry leaves from seeds FAQS
Q1. Where Can I Find The Seed For The Curry Leaf Plant?
The seed for the extract of the leaf plant is found in the fruit’s pit.
It may be removed, washed, and planted in the ground, or the whole fruit can be eaten and used as fertilizer.
Obtaining new seeds will increase your chances of success.
Q2. Where Can I Buy One?
You can get them from any plant nursery or order them online.
Q3. Why Did My Plant Dry Out?
Typically, when winter arrives, curry leaf plants wither and die. In other words, it’s getting ready to face the chilly weather.
However, there are occasions when it dries up due to factors including inadequate watering, poor soil, lack of sunlight, or low humidity.
Q4. What Pests Do I Watch Out For?
Pests and diseases seldom bother curry plants.
The plants’ strong odor is normally effective in deterring illnesses and garden pests, but under some weather circumstances, it may cause issues.
Bottom Line
Curry leaf plant is a simple and straightforward process that requires very little upkeep if done right.
If you’re lucky and are able to follow this guide on planting curry leaves right, then you’ll have a delicious meal for dinner after harvesting.
My name is Olivia, and I live in the United States and love having plants in my garden. Lots of plants are there on my balcony, indoor and outdoor garden also. Here I am trying to share useful gardening tips, how to grow and care for various plants, etc.
