TheronShifflett at 19:47, 15 May 2026

2026-05-15T19:47:00Z

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{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{about|the tree whose aromatic leaves are used in Indian cuisine|the European plant sometimes called curry plant|Helichrysum italicum}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Curry Trees.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{Cite iucn|title=Curry Leaf, ''Murayya koenigii''|article-number=e.T156236806A166564522|author=Plummer, J. |year=2021|access-date=6 March 2021|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T156236806A166564522.en}}</ref>
| genus = Bergera
| species = koenigii
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]<ref>{{GRIN}}</ref>
| synonyms =
*''Camunium koenigii'' {{small|(L.) Kuntze}}
*''Chalcas koenigii'' {{small|(L.) Kurz}}
*''Murraya koenigii'' {{small|(L.) Spreng.}}
*''Bergera siamensis'' {{small|(Craib) F.J.Mou}}
*''Chalcas siamensis'' {{small|(Craib) Tanaka}}
*''Murraya foetidissima'' {{small|Teijsm. & Binn.}}
*''Murraya siamensis'' {{small|Craib}}
*''Nimbo melioides'' {{small|Dennst.}}
| synonyms_ref = {{R|POWO}}
}}

'''''Bergera koenigii''''', [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] '''''Murraya koenigii''''', and commonly known as '''curry tree''', '''curry bush''' or '''sweet neem''', is a tree in the citrus family [[Rutaceae]], first described by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in 1767. It is native to the [[Indian subcontinent]], southern China and [[mainland Southeast Asia]], and it has been introduced to other parts of southeast Asia and to Australia. Its leaves are used in many culinary dishes in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

==Description==
[[File:Curry Tree flower.JPG|thumb|The small flowers are white and fragrant.]]
[[File:Fresh curry Leaf (49697684423).jpg|thumb|A leaflet (a 'curry leaf') close up]]
[[File:CurryLeaf Fruits.jpg|thumb|Ripe and unripe fruits]]
It is a small to medium-sized tropical tree, typically growing 4–6 metres (13–20 ft) tall but capable of reaching up to 8–10 metres (26–33 ft) under favourable conditions, with a trunk up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter. The aromatic [[leaves]] are [[Pinnation|pinnate]], with 11–21 leaflets, each leaflet {{convert|2|–|4|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1|–|2|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} broad. The plant produces small white [[flower]]s which can self-pollinate to produce small shiny-black [[drupe]]s containing a single, large viable seed. The berry pulp is edible, with a sweet flavor.<ref name="parmar" />

==Distribution and habitat==
The tree is native to the following areas:{{R|POWO}}
*Indian subcontinent: Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Himalaya
*China: China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan
*Indo-China: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam

It has been introduced to the [[Andaman Islands]], [[Christmas Island]], Fiji, Java, the [[Laccadive Islands]], the [[Maldives]], the [[Nicobar Islands]] and Sumatra.{{R|POWO}} It has also been introduced to [[Queensland]], Australia, where it is classed as an environmental weed.{{R|WILDNET}}

Commercial plantations have been established in India, Australia and [[Costa del Sol]] in Spain.<ref name="Norman2002">{{Cite book|title=Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference|last=Norman|first=Jill|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqStAAAACAAJ|publisher=DK Publishing|year=2002|oclc=51005062|isbn=978-0-7894-8939-5|location=New York, New York|pages=212, 213}}</ref>

==Cultivation==
It grows best in well-drained soil that does not dry out, in areas with full sun or partial shade, preferably away from the wind. Growth is more robust when temperatures are at least {{convert|18|C|F|0}}.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://heritagegarden.uic.edu/curry-leaf-tree-murraya-koenigii|title=Curry leaf tree (''Murraya koenigii'')|website=Heritage Garden|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-02}}</ref>

==Etymology and common names==

The word 'curry' is borrowed from the Tamil word kari ('spiced sauce' or 'meat'). The name of the plant in Tamil is also sometimes associated with the perceived blackness of the tree's leaves ('karuveppilai', meaning dark leaves), though the English word ''curry'' stems from its use in spiced dishes.<ref name="oed">{{cite web |title=Curry and curry tree |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=curry+tree |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary |access-date=16 May 2023 |date=2023}}</ref> The records of the leaves being utilized are found in [[Tamil literature]] dating back to the 1st and 4th centuries CE. Britain had spice trades with the ancient Tamil region. It was introduced to England in the late [[16th century]].{{Citation needed|reason=Where are the records? Are the last two sentences connected, does ancient = 16th c? Britain and England are not the same.|date=October 2023}}.

The species ''Bergera koenigii'' was first published by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in ''Mantissa Plantarum'' vol.2 on page 563 in 1767.<ref name="POWO"/>
It was formerly known as ''Murraya koenigii'' {{au|(L.) Spreng.}}, which was first published in Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 2: 315 in 1825.<ref name="Murraya">{{cite web |title=''Murraya koenigii'' (L.) Spreng. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:774433-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=16 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Some sources still recognise it as the accepted name.<ref>{{cite book |last1=George |first1=A.S. |last2=Orchard |first2=A.E. |last3=Hewson |first3=H.J. |title=Oceanic islands 2. Flora of Australia |date=1993 |publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service |location=Canberra |pages=1–606 |edition=50}}</ref>

The former generic name, ''Murraya'', derives from [[Johan Andreas Murray]] (1740–1791), who studied botany under [[Carl Linnaeus]] and became a professor of medicine with an interest in [[medicinal plants]] at the University of [[Göttingen]], Germany.<ref name="miss">{{cite web |date=2019 |title=''Murraya koenigii'' |url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d441 |access-date=13 August 2019 |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO, USA}}</ref> The specific name, ''koenigii'', derives from the last name of botanist [[Johann Gerhard König]].

The curry tree is also called ''curry leaf tree'' or ''curry bush'', among numerous local names, depending on the country.<ref name="cabi">{{cite web |date=14 July 2018 |title=''Murraya koenigii'' (curry leaf tree) |url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/35175 |access-date=13 August 2019 |publisher=CABI}}</ref><ref name="parmar" />

==Uses==
===Culinary===
Curry leaves have a "mild, aromatic, slightly bitter" flavor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=180}}</ref>{{Cookbook|Curry Leaf}}
The fresh leaves are an indispensable part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicines. They are most widely used in southern and west coast [[Indian cuisine|Indian cooking]], usually fried along with vegetable oil, mustard seeds and chopped onions in the first stage of the preparation. They are also used to make [[thoran]], [[vada (food)|vada]], [[Rasam (dish)|rasam]], and [[kadhi]]; additionally, they are often [[Dry roasting|dry-roasted]] (and then ground) in the preparation of various powdered spice blends ([[Masala (spice)|masala]]s), such as South Indian sambar masala, the main seasoning in the ubiquitous vegetable stew [[Sambar (dish)|sambar]]. The curry leaves are also added as flavoring to [[masala dosa]], the South Indian potato-filled [[Dosa (food)|dosas]], made with a mildly probiotic, fermented lentil and rice batter. The fresh leaves are valued as seasoning in the cuisines of South and Southeast Asia.<ref name=parmar/> In [[Cambodia]], curry leaves ({{langx|km|ស្លឹកកន្ទ្រោប}}, {{lang|km-Latn|slœ̆k kontroap}}) are roasted and used as an ingredient for ''[[samlor machu kroeung]]''.<ref name=":1" /> In [[Java]], the leaves are often stewed to flavor ''[[gulai]]''. Though available dried, the aroma and flavor are greatly inferior. In almost all cases, the leaves will be freshly plucked from a garden only a few hours or even minutes before they are used.<ref name="Norman2002" /> The oil can be extracted and used to make scented soaps.<ref name=":1" />

The leaves of ''Murraya koenigii'' are also used as a [[herb]] in [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] and [[Siddha medicine]] in which they are believed to possess anti-disease properties,<ref name=":1" /><ref name="parmar">{{cite web |title=''Murraya koenigii'' (L.) Spreng |url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/12.html |publisher=From: Parmar, C. and M. K. Kaushal. 1982. Murraya koenigii. pages 45–48. In: Wild Fruits. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi, India. In: NewCROP, New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University |access-date=14 August 2019 |date=1982}}</ref> but there is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality clinical evidence]] for such effects.

The berries are edible, but the seeds may be toxic to humans.

==Propagation==
Seeds [[Recalcitrant seed|must be ripe and fresh]] to plant; dried or shriveled fruits are not viable. The skin must be peeled off, and this is recommended before planting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How to Peel Skin Of Curry Leaf Seeds to Grow Plants |url=https://curryleafplant.com/blogs/how-to-grow-curry-leaf-plants/how-to-peel-skin-of-curry-leaf-seeds-to-grow-plants |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=Curry Leaf Plants |date=27 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref> One can plant the whole fruit, but it is best to remove the pulp before planting in a potting mix that is kept moist but not wet. Stem cuttings can be also used for [[Plant propagation|propagation]].<ref name="miss"/> In the Indian subcontinent, the plant is a fixture in almost every household. It is mainly planted privately, but also cultivated commercially to a small extent. Because the leaves must be fresh upon use, it is often traded through a small neighborhood or city wide network of farmers, who regularly supply fresh leaves to stall vendors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-07-23 |title=Indian Spices |url=http://www.indianspices.com/html/s062fclf.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723141734/http://www.indianspices.com/html/s062fclf.htm |archive-date=2008-07-23 |access-date=2022-09-23 }}</ref>

==Chemical constituents==
[[File:Girinimbine.png|thumb|Chemical structure of [[girinimbine]].]]
Compounds found in curry tree leaves, stems, bark, and seeds include [[cinnamaldehyde]],<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sankar Ganesh|first1=Ravishankar Rai|title=In vitro antibiofilm activity of ''Murraya koenigii'' essential oil extracted using supercritical fluid CO2 method against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1|journal=Natural Product Research|date=2015|volume=29|issue=24|pages=2295–2298|issn=1478-6427|display-authors=etal|doi=10.1080/14786419.2015.1004673|pmid=25635569|s2cid=220349399 }}</ref> and numerous [[carbazole alkaloids]], including mahanimbine,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/167963|title=Mahanimbine|publisher=PubChem|date=2017}}</ref> [[girinimbine]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Girinimbine|title=Girinimbine|publisher=PubChem|date=2017}}</ref> and mahanine.
Major odor compounds contained in the leaves are the sulfury-smelling 1-phenylethanethiol, the citrusy-smelling [[linalool]], the resinous-smelling [[α-pinene]], [[eucalyptol]], the grassy-smelling [[cis-3-hexenal]], [[methional]], [[myrcene]], [[cis-3-hexen-1-ol]] and [[trans,cis-2,6-nonadienal]].<ref name="Steinhaus2015">{{cite journal |last1=Steinhaus|first1=Martin |title=Characterization of the Major Odor-Active Compounds in the Leaves of the Curry Tree ''Bergera koenigii'' L. by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|date=2015-04-09 |volume=63 |issue=16 |pages=4060–4067 |doi=10.1021/acs.jafc.5b01174 }}</ref>

Nutritionally, the leaves are a rich source of carotenoids, beta-carotene, calcium and iron.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Drisya |first1=C. R. |last2=Swetha |first2=B. G. |last3=Velu |first3=V. |last4=Indrani |first4=D. |last5=Singh |first5=R. P. |title=Effect of dried ''Murraya koenigii'' leaves on nutritional, textural and organoleptic characeteristics of cookies |journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology |date=January 2015 |volume=52 |issue=1 |pages=500–506 |doi=10.1007/s13197-013-1002-2|s2cid=96236829 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|27em|refs=
<ref name="POWO">{{cite web |title=''Bergera koenigii'' L. |publisher=Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:771522-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>

<ref name="WILDNET">{{cite web |url=https://wildnet.science-data.qld.gov.au/taxon-detail?taxon_id=18676 |title=''Bergera koenigii'' |year=2025 |website=Wildnet |publisher=[[Queensland Government]] |access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Murraya koenigii}}

{{Herbs & spices}}
{{Culinary wrappings}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q244731|from2=Q39837286}}

[[Category:Murraya]]
[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Indian spices]]
[[Category:Plants with compound leaves]]

Curry tree - Revision history

TheronShifflett at 19:47, 15 May 2026