Tamarindus indica is a long-lived and beautiful fruiting tree, growing up to 30 metres tall with a dense, spreading crown. The tree has fragrant flowers and feathery foliage that is usually evergreen but becomes deciduous in drier regions.
The bole is usually short, 1 - 2 metres in diameter.
Tamarind seedpods are widely used for food in the tropics. The tree also yields a number of other edible uses and has a wide range of medicinal applications and other uses. It is widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental plant, for its edible seedpods, and for medicinal purposes.
Tamarindus indica is a large tree with a wide geographical distribution, thought to originate in tropical Africa. The species is not under threat, classified as "Least Concern" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2013).

Known Hazards

None known

Habitat

Low-altitude woodland, savannah and bush, often associated with termite mounds. Prefers semi-arid areas and wooded grassland, and can also be found growing along stream and riverbanks.

Cultivation Status

Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Tamarind grows best in drier areas of the tropics, though it can also do well in much wetter, monsoon areas so long as there is a distinct dry season. It is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres.
It prefers areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 35°C, but can tolerate 12 - 45°C.
When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -3°C, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°C.
The plant is very sensitive to frost.
It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 300 - 4,500mm.
In India, it is not grown commercially in areas receiving more than 1,900mm of rain a year, and in areas with over 4,000mm of rain, flowering and fruit setting is significantly reduced.
Regardless of total annual rainfall, a long, well-marked dry season is necessary for fruiting.
Plants succeed in a range of soils, though they prefer a well-drained, fertile soil in a sunny position.
Often found near the coast and in sandy soils, which suggests it is tolerant of saline conditions.
Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 8.5.
Plants have an extensive root system, which makes them very tolerant of windy conditions (including salt-laden winds) and drought.
Growth is generally slow, with seedling height increasing by about 60cm annually.
Trees commence bearing fruit at 7 - 10 years of age, with maximum yields being obtained from about 15 years onwards.
Trees can continue yielding for 200 years.
Yields of 200 kilos per tree have been recorded.
There are many named forms.
The trees respond to coppicing and pollarding.
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, forming nodules on the roots and fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant, but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Edible Uses

Seedpod - raw or cooked. An acid flavour.
Harvested when fully grown but still green and tender, they are used as a seasoning and also to make juices and paste.
The immature pods are used in a variety of ways, being eaten fresh mixed with spices, pickled like green mango, or added whole to soups, stews and sauces.
When fully mature, the pods contain a sticky paste which can be eaten raw, used to make drinks, jellies, syrups etc., and mixed with salt is a favourite flavouring in the curries of India.
This paste is usually quite sour due to its content of tartaric, acetic and citric acids, though sweet forms can also be found.
Mixed with water, the pulp makes a pleasant lemonade-like drink.
Mature seeds - dried then toasted or boiled and the shell is removed.
The seed can be ground into a flour.
The roasted seed is also used as a coffee substitute.
Young leaves - raw or cooked. An agreeably sour flavour, they go well cooked with other blander leaves.
Young leaves can be added to salads.
Seedlings, when about 30cm tall, are used as a vegetable.
Flowers - raw in salads or cooked.

Medicinal

The bark is astringent and tonic and its ash may be given internally as a digestive. Incorporated into lotions or poultices, the bark may be used to relieve sores, ulcers, boils and rashes. It may also be administered as a decoction against asthma and amenorrhea and as a febrifuge.
Leaf extracts exhibit antioxidant activity in the liver and are a common ingredient in cardiac and blood sugar reducing medicines.
Young leaves may be used in fomentation for rheumatism, applied to sores and wounds, or administered as a poultice for inflammation of joints to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
A sweetened decoction of the leaves is good against throat infection, cough, fever, and even intestinal worms.
The filtered hot juice of young leaves, and a poultice of the flowers, is used for conjunctivitis.
The leaves are warmed and tied to affected areas in order to relieve swellings and pains, particularly sprains.
They are also used for bathing sores or to bathe persons suffering from measles or allergies.
The leaves and flowers are used to make a sweetened tea that is drunk by children as a remedy for measles.
They were also used in a preparation which was drunk in early Guyana as a malaria remedy.
A decoction of the flower buds is used as a remedy for children's bedwetting and urinary complaints.
The fruit is aperient and laxative.
A syrup made from the ripe fruit is drunk in order to keep the digestive organs in good condition, and also as a remedy for coughs and chest colds.
The flesh of the fruit is eaten to cure fevers and control gastric acid.
The fruit pulp may be used as a massage to treat rheumatism, as an acid refrigerant, a mild laxative and also to treat scurvy.
Powdered seeds may be given to cure dysentery and diarrhea.
The plant contains pyrazines and thiazoles.
The seed contains polyoses.
The bark yields proanthocyanidin and hordenine.

Agroforestry Uses

Tamarind is not very compatible with other plants because of its dense shade, broad spreading crown and allelopathic effects. It has been tested as an agroforestry species in India but although the reduction in crop yield is less than that with species such as teak, the spreading crown makes it little compatible with other species.
The dense shade makes it more suitable for firebreaks as no grass will grow under the trees.
The deep roots make it very resistant to storms and suitable for windbreaks.

Other Uses

The pulp of the fruit, sometimes mixed with sea-salt, is used to polish silver, copper and brass. It is normally used when the pulp is over-ripe.
The seed contains pectin that can be used for sizing textiles.
Ground, boiled, and mixed with gum, the seeds produce a strong wood cement.
An amber-coloured seed oil - which resembles linseed oil - is suitable for making paints and varnishes and for burning in lamps.
Both leaves and bark are rich in tannin. The bark tannins can be used in ink or for fixing dyes.
The leaves yield a red dye, which is used to give a yellow tint to clothes previously dyed with indigo.
Sapwood is light yellow, heartwood is dark purplish brown; very hard, durable and strong (specific gravity 0.8-0.9g/cubic m), and takes a fine polish. It is used for general carpentry, sugar mills, wheels, hubs, wooden utensils, agricultural tools, mortars, boat planks, toys, panels and furniture. In North America, tamarind wood has been traded under the name of 'Madeira mahogany'.
Provides a good firewood with the calorific value of 4 850 kcal/kg, it also produces an excellent charcoal.

Propagation

Seed - when dried, it retains viability for several years at ambient temperatures.
Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in a nursery seedbed or containers at 21°c.
About 90% germination is achieved in 40 - 50 days.
Germination is best when seeds are covered by 1.5 cm loose, sandy loam or by a mixture of loam and sand.
The seedlings quickly develop a taproot and so should not be allowed to grow in a nursery seedbed for more than 4 months before being transplanted into containers.
Seedlings should attain at least 80 cm before being transplanted to their final location at the beginning of the rainy season.
They can be planted out when 30cm tall.
Cuttings of greenwood
Air layering
Grafting.