The Tamarind Tree

Hindi Name –Imli

Sanskrit Name – Tintrinnii 

Botanical Name – Tamarindus indica

Tamarind tree is a long-lived & slow-growing evergreen tree. Tamarind belongs to African origin & it is being cultivated in India for a long time. Tamarind tree lives up to two hundred years & belongs to legumes family (Fabaceae) Its fruit is sweet & sour. Ancient Egyptians & the Greeks were well aware of Tamarind for centuries. Tamarind has many tastes according to climate, & soil type of different countries. Tamarind used widely in Indian cooked food.Tamarind tree heights more than eighty feet & diameter up to three feet. Its spread in diameter of thirty to forty feet. Tamarind tree has a high resistance to winds.

Tamarind tree bark colour is dark-grey, & the surface is rough. Tamarind young trees shall be protected by the cold as it is prone to damage, but older trees can face climate.

Tamarind tree can grow in different soil types. Tamarind seeds germinate in a week after planting & tree can be grown easily from grafting/cuttings.

Beautifully trimmed tamarind leaves have the size of four to six inches in length & quarter-inch wide which fold at night. 

Tamarind leaves are evergreen, & may shed in the very dry locality during warm weather.

Tamarind big petalled yellow flowers have orange streaks.

Tamarind fruit is beanlike with irregular curves size two to seven inches long. & one inch in width. 

On ripening, shell's skin cracks easily,  & dehydrates naturally,  & we get a sweet sticky paste. 

Tamarind beans are cinnamon-brown externally then change to light-skin with green.  

As the tamarind beans get mature the pods fill with the juicy, acidulous pulp turns reddish-brown. Fully ripe, fresh tamarind fruit is consumed out-of-hand by children & adults.

Tamarind seeds are reddish-brown & glossy, there are square in shape.

India has extensive tamarind orchards producing annually. 

 

Tamarind is an important ingredient in chutneys, curries and sauces & in Indian seafood pickle.

Boiled or fried Tamarind seeds are a promising source of tartaric acid.

Tamarind leaves are eaten by domestic animals, & feed of silkworms, flowers are a good source of nectar for honeybees.

Tamarind has unlimited medicinal benefits like diarrhoea, constipation etc...it has anti-inflammatory & antioxidants properties too.