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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.

  • Published on October 22, 2026
  • GreenEye Team

Planting methods

GraftingPrimary method

Spacing: 8-10 m between trees (TNAU); a rough starting point, not a safe distance from buildings or services · Depth: Pit 1 m each way filled with well-rotted farmyard manure and topsoil (TNAU); plant at bag level with the graft joint above the soil and stake at once

Planting steps, drawn: Grafting

  1. Choose a rootstock and a scion

  2. Join them and tie firmly

  3. Plant with the graft union above the soil

Seed

Spacing: Seedling trees grow larger: at least 13 x 13 m in plantations (ICRAF); a rough starting point · Depth: Soak fresh seed for 24 hours and sow in March-April (TNAU); germinates within about 2 weeks (PROSEA); seedling fruit may differ from the parent

Planting steps, drawn: Seed

  1. Pick fresh, healthy seed and prepare it

  2. Sow at a shallow, even depth

  3. Cover lightly and keep the soil moist

  4. Transplant the seedling once it is sturdy

Sources: Orwa C. et al. (2009). Agroforestree Database 4.0: Tamarindus indica. ICRAF; TNAU Agritech Portal, Horticulture: Tamarind; Shankarprasad K.S. & Menon J.S. (2020). Veneer grafting for successful tamarind propagation. Indian Horticulture (ICAR), Nov-Dec 2020

This article was prepared with AI assistance and checked by the GreenEye team against the sources shown in each section.

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