3 Facts You Must Know Before Buying a Curry Leaf Plant or Tree

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The Curry Leaf plant is one of the most essential herbs for any Indian kitchen garden. It is also known as curry leaves plant, curry leaf tree, or curry patta plant. Every spring, my two fully grown curry leaf trees produce several short side- shoots near the base of the plants, a.k.a. Baby Curry leaves plants. Last year, I posted Indian Curry leaf plants for sale on my Facebook page, asking if anyone was interested in buying. An overwhelmingly large number of people responded with interest in buying a curry leaf plant.

When I started chatting with people interested in buying, I realized most had not raised a curry leaves plant before. They had big expectations from a baby plant.

They were under the impression that:

• Once you get a curry leaf plant, you will not have to buy curry leaves from the Indian grocery store.
• The curry leaf plant will provide large, glossy, green curry leaves for everyday cooking in a few short days.
• All you have to do is get a curry leaf plant, plant it in the garden or a pot and you are all set!

If you believe in any one of the above, you are seriously in for a big surprise! See the video below.

Before we dig deep, let me just summarize what a curry leaf tree is:

The curry leaf is a small evergreen tree that originates from India. In India, the curry leaf tree is also known as sweet neem, Kadi Patta, Mitho Limdo, or karuveppilai.
The curry leaf tree thrives in tropical to sub-tropical weather and is native to India and Sri Lanka. Therefore, technically it should be called a curry leaf tree, not a curry leaf plant. The curry leaf tree grows to a height of 10-15 feet. When the plant matures, it produces small, white flowers which turn into seeds. The curry leaves are fragrant, dark green with a glossy texture.

Curry leaves are one of the must-have ingredients in Indian cooking. The curry leaves are a flavoring agent in many Indian curries, lentil dishes, chutneys, and soups. The curry leaves have a pungent, slightly bitter taste and are used fresh or dried.

Curry leaves are also used in Ayurvedic medicine and are believed to have various health benefits. For example, curry leaves are rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, B, and C. They also contain compounds that may help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. In addition, curry leaves are said to boost digestive health and promote weight loss. While more research is needed to confirm these claims, there is no doubt that curry leaves are a healthy addition to Indian cuisine.

If you want to grow this amazingly aromatic plant, there are some things you should know to set your expectations right. Here are the five facts you must know and consider before you buy a curry leaf plant:

1. How much sunlight does a curry leaf plant need?

Curry leaves plant grows best in about 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. Therefore, make sure the area where you want to place the plant has good airflow and direct sunlight for most of the day. During the hot months of summer, the curry leaf plant should be moved to the part sun area.

If the plant does not get enough sunlight, it will not grow properly. Without enough light, the plant will not be able to produce enough food to survive. As a result, the curry leaves may turn pale yellow or fall off the plant. Additionally, the leaves loses the aroma and may become thin and pointy.

Does that mean you can’t grow a curry leaf plant if you live in an apartment or your balcony does not get 6 hours of sun? No, not necessarily. If you plan to keep the curry leaves plant indoors, consider investing in good indoor grow light. Your curry leaf plant will be happy and thriving indoors!

2. Can a curry leaf plant survive freezing weather?

Curry leaf plant is native to the place where most of the year stays warm and humid. The Curry leaf plant does not like the cold season and cannot survive freezing temperatures. If you live in an area where the winter temperature dips below 32 degrees F, you should not plant the curry leaf plant in the ground in your garden. For that reason, it is best to plant the curry leaf plant in a container or a pot that you can bring inside the house or store in the garage for the winter months.

When stored in a garage with no direct sunlight during the winter months, the plant may lose most leaves. That’s okay! If you continue to lightly water the curry leaf plant every 7-10 days, it will come back to life once you put it outside in the spring.

I keep my curry leaf plants inside my house during cold months, near a large window that receives sunlight almost all day long. The plants seem to like the coziness of the space! They stay green and even put out new growth and new baby plants during the winter months! I spray the plant with a DIY natural pesticide made with neem oil to protect it from scale, spider mites, and fungus gnat attacks while indoors.

Consider your current residence and the space for the curry leaf plant during colder months before you buy a new plant.

A young curry leaf plant doesn’t require much space, but at 4 years of age, it will be 4 to 5 feet tall and a 3 to 4 feet wide Curry Leaf tree! As the plant grows older, it will need more space. Do you have enough space inside the house or apartment to store the plant for the long term? Will there be any pet that will cause harm to the curry leaf plant while inside?

3. How fast does a curry leaf plant grow?

Have you ever wondered why the baby curry leaf plant costs more than other plants like peppers and tomatoes? Or if you have a Curry Leaf Plant and wonder, ‘Why is my curry leaf plant not growing?’.

Curry Leaf plant is actually a shrub (small tree) that grows slowly. Therefore, the Curry leaf plant is not a fast grower in the initial stage. It takes a couple of years for the young curry leaf plant to establish roots and adjust to the new environment before it starts to grow in height.

Here is the picture of my curry leaf plants at various ages, including one 5-year old Curry Leaf Tree. Please keep in mind that your area’s weather and growing conditions may produce different results than mine.

Visual comparison of curry leaf plant growth: From left to right-

The first one is a 1-week old seedling. It is 4″ tall and 3″ wide in the spread. It’s been recently cut out from the mother plant.

The second one is a 6-month-old seedling. The plant height is 6,” and the width is 6″. The leaflets are small and spaced out far apart.

The Third one is a 1-year-old plant. The plant height is 7,” and the width is 8″.

The fourth one is an almost 2 years old plant. The height is 12,” and the width is 13″. It took this plant a year to grow a couple of inches! The leaves are nicely dense, greener, and more prominent than the previous plants.

The fifth one is an almost 5 years old plant. The height is 3 ft (because I kept pruning the curry leaf plant to maintain the size), and the width is 3.5 ft. I harvest roughly 10 to 15 leaflets (the entire string of small leaves) every 15 days from this curry leaf plant.

As you can see from the picture and the description above, the curry leaf plant takes time to establish and grow tall in the earlier stage of life. However, once the plant is 2 to 3 years old, it will be taller, denser, and ready to be harvested.

Before buying a curry leaf plant, consider how long you can wait and babysit the plant before you want to start harvesting the leaves.

If you have the patience to wait for a couple of years before harvesting the leaves, buy a small curry leaf plant here, which is usually cheaper.

If going to the grocery store every week to get the curry leaves is too much for you, and you can invest little extra upfront, buy the largest curry leaf plant you can afford. You will reap the rewards months, if not years, earlier.

Will the Curry leaf plant grow more leaves if I harvest a few?

Curry leaf tree grows new leaves on the tips of the branch only. That means, no new leaves will grow in place of where the old leaves were harvested from. Therefore, to make the curry leaf plant grow more leaves, the plant needs to have more branches. For this reason, pruning (cutting off) a plant regularly and correctly is essential. See this step-by-step guide for pruning a curry leaf plant.

Once you buy a curry leaf plant from online sources or through an Indian grocery store near you, here is a guide about caring for your curry leaf plant, transplanting a curry leaf plant, and fertilizing a curry leaf plant to make it greener and grow faster.

Conclusion:

Before buying a curry leaf plant, you should consider a few things. First, make sure you have enough space for a fully grown Curry Leaf tree before buying, as they can get quite large. Provide at least 6 hours of sunlight and be patient. Also, be aware that Curry Leaf trees require a fair amount of care and attention – if you’re not prepared to put in the work, it’s probably best to look elsewhere. With all that being said, owning a Curry Leaf plant can be incredibly rewarding – so if you think you’re up for the challenge, go ahead and make your purchase!

I hope I have provided you with enough information to make an informed decision when buying a curry leaf plant. If you still have any questions or concerns about buying or growing a curry leaf plant, feel free to leave a comment below, and I will respond soon.

The secret of growing lush green curry leaf plant:

So many of the readers of this article have reached out to me asking how do I get my Curry Leaf tree so lush and green. So here’s the secret of my success: I regularly apply liquid fertilizer to all my curry leaf plants monthly from spring to late summer. The one I use the most is this organic liquid fertilizer. I not only use it to fertilize curry leaf plants but also use it to fertilize vegetable and flower seedlings. I also amend the potting soil with blood meal at the beginning of the season and when re-potting the curry leaf plant. 

Want to know more about growing a Curry Leaf Plant?

• How to care for a Curry Leaf Plant
• How to Transplant a Curry Leaf Plant
• Best Fertilizers For Curry Leaf Plant- Natural and Organic Options
• How to prune a curry leaf plant to make it bushy

Ask your questions:

Please comment below if you have any questions about growing curry leaf plants. Or connect with me on the Pinch of seeds group on Facebook. You can ask questions, post a picture for photo consultation, get a personalized response and interact with other gardeners. See you there!

Last Updated: 31/3/2022

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