Imli (Tamarind) Tree (Tamarindus indica): Where It Grows in India and How to Plant It
Tamarindus indica
Imli, tamarind in English, is Tamarindus indica, the drought-hardy fruit and shade tree of Indian villages. How and when to plant an imli tree, growing it from seed, years to fruit, how to recognise it, care for the first three years and what to watch out for.
Overview
Imli (इमली), called tamarind in English, is Tamarindus indica, a large, long-lived evergreen fruit tree of the legume family that is grown across the drier plains and plateaus of India for its sour pods and dense shade.
Its name comes from the Arabic tamar-u'l-Hind, "date of India", because the dark pulp looks like dried dates (ICRAF). Yet the tree is not native to India: it was brought here so long ago that many people take it for a native. Once its deep roots are down it copes with heat, poor soil and long dry seasons, although young plants are tender to frost. This guide covers planting, care, how to recognise it and what to watch out for.
Photo: "Tamarindus indica - Nallur tamarind2" by Shyamal, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick facts
| Scientific name | Tamarindus indica L., the only species in its genus (ICRAF) |
| Family | Fabaceae (legume family); older Indian books use Caesalpiniaceae |
| Hindi name | इमली (Imli), also Amli and Ambli; इमली का पेड़ (tamarind tree) |
| Also called | Tamarind, tamarind tree, Indian date (English); Amlika, Tintiri, Chincha (Sanskrit); Chinch चिंच (Marathi), Ambali (Gujarati), Tentul (Bengali), Puli (Tamil, Malayalam), Chinta (Telugu), Hunase (Kannada) (ICRAF, Flowers of India, eFlora of India) |
| Mature height | Up to about 25–30 m, with a dense, rounded, spreading crown (eFlora of India, ICRAF) |
| Growth rate | Slow; ICRAF gives seedling growth of about 60 cm a year |
| Water need | Low once established, thanks to deep roots; regular water in the first two summers (practical guidance) |
| Years to first fruit | Grafted plants about 3–4 years; seedlings about 7–10 years or more (ICRAF) |
| Planting season | With the monsoon; months are a guide, see How to plant imli |
| Grows well in | Dry and semi-dry plains and plateaus, from sea level to about 1,500 m (ICRAF); young plants need frost cover in the north |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List global assessment, 2017) |
Sources: Orwa C. et al. (2009). Agroforestree Database 4.0: Tamarindus indica. ICRAF; Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (via GBIF): Tamarindus indica L., accepted name; native Madagascar and Comoros, India and most of the tropics listed as introduced; Plants of the World Online (Kew): Tamarindus indica L. (page returns 403 to scripts; confirm in a browser); GBIF species API: IUCN Red List category for Tamarindus indica (Least Concern, iucnTaxonID 62020997); IUCN Red List: Rivers M.C. & Mark J. (2017). Tamarindus indica. e.T62020997A62020999 (Least Concern; citation seen via Wikipedia, page not read); Flowers of India: Tamarind; eFlora of India: Tamarindus indica; Wikipedia: Tamarind (IUCN citation in infobox)
This article was prepared with AI assistance and checked by the GreenEye team against the sources shown in each section.
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