Tamarind
The tamarind tree originates from Eastern Africa and Madagascar.
Tamarind fruits are eaten fresh as a fruit, or are used for cooking to give flavor to sauces. Young leaves of the tamarind tree can be used in salads.
There is a legend that says that sleeping under a flowering tamarind tree will give you strange dreams.
Names
Scientific
Tamarindus indica
English
Tamarind
Dutch
Tamarinde
Spanish
Tamarindo
French
Tamarin
Tamarinier
German
Tamarindenbaum
Italian
Tamarindo
Taxonomy
Genus
Tamarindus
Family
Fabaceae
Order
Fabales
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Eastern Africa and Madagascar
Distribution:
Eastern Africa and tropical areas in Asia, Latin America,
and the Caribbean.
Evergreen or deciduous:
Evergeen in areas without a dry season. In dry areas during the hot season the leaves may be shed.
Flowers:
Clusters of flowers growing from one common stem
Leaves:
Fine feathery foliage. Tamarind leaves consist of 10-40 leaflets
Fruits:
The tamarind fruit is a brown pod-like legume. Inside the pod are many hard-coated seeds covered with a brown soft pulp, which is the edible part.
Climate and weather:
Tropical areas. Dry weather is important during the period of fruit development.
Pollination:
Probably by insects (?).
Height:
20 meter (but can reach over 25 meter)
Crown size:
The crown can be up to 12 meter
Type of soil:
Tolerates almost any soil.
Growth rate:
Tamarind is a slow growing tree.
Spacing (close range)
5 meter
Spacing (wide range)
8 meter
Insect pests:
Various scales. Mealybugs. Fruit borers.
Diseases:
?
Harvesting:
Harvesting by hand picking.
Uses:
The fruit pulp is edible. Pulp of young fruits is sour and acidic, but ripe fruits are sweeter. Some varieties are sweet, while others have always a sour taste. Young leaves can be used in salads.
Proverbs and Quotes
- The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree. (Edgar Allan Poe)
- It was like a species of the Tamarind tree, bearing fruit which resembled grapes extremely fine; and its fragrance extended to a considerable distance. I exclaimed, How beautiful is this tree, and how delightful is its appearance! (Prophet Enoch about the tree of knowledge)
Did you know that?
- Legend says that those who sleep under the Tamarind while it flowers will experience strange hallucinogenic dreams !
Recipes
Tamarind Juice
Ingredients:
1) 20 grams fresh or dried tamarind
2) 30 grams syrup (or 2 tablespoons)
3) 2 grams salt (or 2/5 teaspoon)
4) 240 ml water
Instructions how to make the juice
A) With fresh tamarind:
Remove the skin. Pour boiling water on the fresh tamarind then take it out. Remove the seeds. Boil the tamarind in 240 grams water, after sometime pour juice through a sieve. Adjust the taste by adding sugar and salt as you like.
B) With dried tamarind:
Clean the dried tamarind in clean water. Leave dried tamarind in 240 grams of water for half an hour then bring to boil. Pour juice through a sieve. Then add salt and sugar for the taste as you like.
Crop categories
Fruits
Food crops
Tropical crops
Legumes
Pictures
Tamarind
Tamarind
Tamarind
Tamarind tree flowers
Tamarind