Tamarind Tree: Tips To Grow And Care
The tamarind tree is a large, long-lived tropical tree. It is grown for shade and for its sweet-sour pods, the source of the tamarind paste used in chutneys, curries, and drinks. It needs warm, frost-free weather and plenty of room to spread.
Selecting the Right Location
Tamarind needs a warm spot in full sun. It is a frost-tender tropical tree, rated for USDA hardiness zones 10A through 11. It does well in tropical and subtropical areas, including the semi-arid tropics.
Tamarind grows in a wide range of soils, acidic or alkaline, including poor ones. It needs good drainage because waterlogged ground damages the roots. Raise the planting area on a soggy site.
A tamarind can reach 40 to 65 feet tall with a spread of 40 to 50 feet. Planting at least 3 feet from sidewalks and curbs gives them room. The branches resist wind well, which suits breezy sites, but the tree has low salt tolerance, which isn't ideal for coastal areas. Dropped pods can be messy on hard surfaces, so a patio is a poor spot.
Essential Care and Maintenance
Young trees need steady moisture until they establish, which is an important part of Tamarind tree care. A mature tamarind is highly drought tolerant and does well without much extra irrigation, and soggy soil does it more harm than a dry spell.
Tamarind trees aren't demanding about feeding. A fruit tree fertilizer applied during the growing season, following the label, will support healthy growth and a good yield.
Tamarind should be grown only in frost-free regions, and young trees need protection from cold. Walk around the tree regularly to look for dead or damaged branches and early signs of pests, as catching a problem early is far easier than treating a big one.
Mulching and Weed Control
A layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, holds moisture and keeps weeds down, and it enriches the soil as it breaks down. Spread it no deeper than about 3 inches and keep it about a foot back from the trunk, since mulch piled against the bark invites rot. Weeds compete with young trees for water and nutrients, so regular weeding around a new planting speeds growth.
Pruning and Shaping
Tamarind trees have a tendency to grow several trunks with bark trapped between them. Those joints are weak, but pruning while the tree is young overcomes the problem. The goal is one central trunk with three to five well-spaced branches that form the main scaffold. Each branch should stay smaller than about half the size of the trunk, which thinning or proper heading cuts will do.
After the structure is set, maintenance pruning is enough. Remove dead or damaged wood as it appears, and thin crowded growth so sunlight and air reach the inside of the canopy.
Pest and Disease Management
Tamarind is free of serious pests and diseases, and a tree in well-drained soil rarely needs treatment. Scale insects and mealybugs are the most likely visitors, and ants can help spread scale, so check the tree regularly.
For a light infestation, horticultural oil and insecticidal soap are organic pest control options that work on scale and mealybugs, applied according to the label. Other chemical pest control methods should follow the label and local extension advice. Root rot is the main disease risk, and it comes from soggy soil, so good drainage is the best prevention. Cutting out dead or diseased branches keeps problems from spreading.
Ripe pods have their own pests. Beetles and weevils attack fruit that stays out in humid weather, so harvest promptly.
Harvesting Tamarind
Tamarind fruit ripens in spring and early summer, and the exact season shifts with climate. A ripe pod has a brown, brittle shell that cracks under gentle pressure. It feels light and sounds hollow when tapped, because the pulp inside has dried to a sticky paste. Sweet types can also be picked half-ripe, when the pulp is yellowish green and tastes like a Granny Smith apple.
If the pods are fully ripe and the rains have not started, shaking the branches drops them onto a mat or sheet spread under the tree. Otherwise, pick them by hand and remove decayed fruit as you go. Rain on ripening fruit invites fungi and weevils, so harvest before the wet season arrives.
Sun-drying for five to seven days brings picked half-ripe fruit to full ripeness, and dried pods stored in a cool, dry place keep for a year.
Bring Home a Tamarind Tree
We grow tamarind trees in Homestead, Florida. The Sweet Air Layered Tamarind is a clone of a mature sweet tree, so you know what fruit to expect, and the Sour Tamarind is grown from seedling. Either one needs a frost-free spot in full sun with room to spread.
FAQ
How to Grow a Tamarind Tree From Seed?
Each seed goes about half an inch deep in a container of well-draining potting soil, kept lightly moist and in bright light. Germination takes about a week, and the seedling can go into the ground once the roots are sturdy. Seedlings vary in fruit quality, so a grafted tree is the better choice for a known variety.
How Long Does a Tamarind Tree Take to Fruit?
A seed-grown tree often takes four to eight years to bear. Grafted or air-layered trees usually fruit in about half that time.
Where Does a Tamarind Tree Grow Best?
A tamarind grows best in full sun, in warm, frost-free places with well-drained soil. It is rated for USDA hardiness zones 10A through 11.
How Big Does a Tamarind Tree Get?
A tamarind can reach 40 to 65 feet tall and 40 to 50 feet wide, so it needs plenty of room away from buildings and sidewalks.
When Is Tamarind Ready to Harvest?
Pods are ready in spring and early summer when the shell turns brown and brittle, cracks under gentle pressure and sounds hollow when tapped.
References
UF/IFAS Extension, "Tamarindus indica: Tamarind"
ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST618
UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, "Tamarind"
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/tamarind
California Rare Fruit Growers, "Tamarind"
crfg.org/homepage/library/fruitfacts/tamarind
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, "Tamarind: How to Grow the Tamarind Tree in South Florida"
fairchildgarden.org/visit/tamarind
Julia F. Morton, Fruits of Warm Climates, "Tamarind" (Growables)
growables.com/information/TropicalFruit/TamarindMorton.htm
