Curry leaf - plant profile

Names

Curry leaf, Indian bay, Indian curry tree (English)
Surabhi-nimbu (Sanskrit)
Kathnim, mitha neem, kurry patta, kari patta, gandhela, barsanga (Hindu)
Barsanga, kariaphulli (Bengal)
Goranimb, kadhilimbdo (Gujarat)
Karivempu, karuveppilei, kattuveppilei, kariveppilai (Tamil)
Narasingha, bishahari (Assam)

Botanical name: Murraya koenigii
Family: Rutaceae, the orange and lemon family.

The plant

A living curry leaf plant.
Image: Curry leaf plant

An aromatic shrub or small tree which can grow to 6 m high. Curry leaf is grown in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The bark is dark brown, almost black.

Leaves - glossy and highly aromatic. They look rather like bay leaves. In South Asia they are used fresh in cooking.

Flowers - white and arranged in sprays.

Fruits - berry-like and purplish-black when ripe.








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