Murraya koenigii

What would local Tamil cuisine be without the Curry Leaf? In many areas of Auroville, Curry plants are growing like ‘weeds’. Their root systems spread out to quite a distance away from the trees, and they produce numerous ‘suckers’ – robust new plants emerging vertically out of the root system of the mother plant. And the red laterite soil in our Bioregion is ideal for their dense foliage production!

Curry Leaves have also been used medicinally in India in both the Ayurveda as well as Siddha medical systems. In most Indian languages the name for Curry Leaves literally translates to ‘sweet Neem’, and this is due to their resemblance to Neem leaves, and perhaps also their medicinal properties. They are also widely believed to be boosters of hair growth and eye health!

Curry leaf is the perfect plant that can be used everyday and grow in any back garden or in a pot on a balcony.

Plant a sucker or a seed in a pot with a mix of soil and compost. It could also be planted right into the ground in the garden, if you have a garden at home. Mulch it well to retain moisture in the soil.

Curry leaf plays a part in so many Indian recipes of so many different kinds, it is a source of valuable micronutrients, and is easy to grow at home. Assuredly, this is one more step on your Road Back to Nature.