Difference between revisions of "Tamarind"

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{{Taxobox
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__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
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| color = lightgreen
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| name = ''Tamarindus indica''
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| name = Tamarind
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| common_names = Tamarind
 +
| growth_habit = tree
 +
| high = ?m (80 ft, 15-25 in SoCal)
 +
| wide =    <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
 +
| origin = Tropical Africa, Sudan
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| poisonous =    <!--- indicate parts of plants which are known/thought to be poisonous -->
 +
| lifespan = perennial
 +
| exposure = full sun
 +
| water = drought tolerant
 +
| features = fruit
 +
| hardiness =    <!--- frost sensitive, hardy, 5°C (40°F), etc -->
 +
| bloom =    <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
 +
| usda_zones = ?  <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
 +
| sunset_zones = not available
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| color = IndianRed
 
| image = Tamarindus indica pods.JPG
 
| image = Tamarindus indica pods.JPG
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| image_width = 240px
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| image_width = 180px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
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| regnum = [[Plantae]]
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| image_caption =    <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
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| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
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| regnum = Plantae
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| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
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| divisio = Magnoliophyta
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| ordo = [[Fabales]]
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| classis = Magnoliopsida
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| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
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| ordo = Fabales
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| subfamilia = [[Caesalpinioideae]]
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| familia = Fabaceae
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| tribus = [[Detarieae]]
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| tribus = Detarieae
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| genus = '''''Tamarindus'''''
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| genus = Tamarindus
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| species = '''''T. indica'''''
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| species = indica
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| binomial = ''Tamarindus indica''
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| subspecies =  
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| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
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| cultivar =  
 
}}
 
}}
 +
'''Adaptation''': The tamarind is well adapted to semiarid tropical conditions, although it does well in many humid tropical areas of the world with seasonally high rainfall. Young trees are very susceptible to frost, but mature trees will withstand brief periods of 28° F without serious injury. A tamarind tree in the Quail Botanical Gardens in San Diego County flowers, but rarely sets fruit, possibly because of the cool coastal climate. Dry weather is important during the period of fruit development. The tree is too large to be grown in a container for any length of time.
  
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:''This article refers to the tree. For other uses see [[Tamarindo (disambiguation)]].''
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'''Growth Habit''': Tamarinds are slow-growing, long-lived, evergreen trees that under optimum conditions can grow 80 feet high with a spread of 20 to 35 ft., in its native eastern Africa and Asia. However, in Southern California it seldom reaches more than 15 to 25 ft. in height.
  
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The '''Tamarind''' ('''''Tamarindus indica''''') (from the Arabic: تمر هندي tamar hindi = Indian date) is in the [[rank (botany)|family]] [[Fabaceae]]. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic (having only a single species). It is a tropical [[tree]], native to tropical [[Africa]], including parts of the [[Madagascar dry deciduous forests]], the tree grows wild throughout the Sudan and was so long ago introduced into and adopted in India that it has often been reported as indigenous there also, and it was apparently from India that it reached the Persians and the Arabs who called it "tamar hindi" (Indian date, from the date-like appearance of the dried pulp), giving rise to both its common and generic names. Unfortunately, the specific name, "indica", also perpetuates the illusion of Indian origin. The fruit was well known to the ancient Egyptians and to the Greeks in the 4th Century B.C.
+
'''Foliage''': The bright green, pinnate foliage is dense and feathery in appearance, making an attractive shade tree with an open branch structure. The leaves are normally evergreen but may be shed briefly in very dry areas during the hot season. There are usually as many as 10 to 20 nearly sessile 1/2 - 1 inch, pale green leaflets per leaf. The leaflets close up at night.
  
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The tree has long been naturalized in the East Indies and the islands of the Pacific. One of the first tamarind trees in Hawaii was planted in 1797. The tamarind was certainly introduced into tropical America, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the West Indies much earlier. In all tropical and near-tropical areas, including South Florida, it is grown as a shade and fruit tree, along roadsides and in dooryards and parks. There are commercial plantings in Mexico, Belize and other Central American countries and in northern Brazil. In India there are extensive tamarind orchards producing 275,500 tons (250,000 MT) annually. The pulp is marketed in northern Malaya and to some extent wherever the tree is found even if there are no plantations.
+
'''Flowers''': The inconspicuous, inch-wide, five-petalled flowers are borne in small racemes and are yellow with orange or red streaks. The flower buds are pink due to the outer color of the 4 sepals which are shed when the flower opens.
  
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[[Image:TamarindSeedling.jpg|thumb|left|A Tamarind seedling]]
+
'''Fruit''': The 3 - 8 inch long, brown, irregularly curved pods are borne in abundance along the new branches. As the pods mature, they fill out somewhat and the juicy, acidulous pulp turns brown or reddish-brown. When fully ripe, the shells are brittle and easily broken. The pulp dehydrates to a sticky paste enclosed by a few coarse stands of fiber. The pods may contain from 1 to 12 large, flat, glossy brown, obovate seeds embedded in the brown, edible pulp. The pulp has a pleasing sweet/sour flavor and is high in both acid and sugar. It is also rich in vitamin B and high in calcium. There are wide differences in fruit size and flavor in seedling trees. Indian types have longer pods with 6 - 12 seeds, while the West Indian types have shorter pods containing only 3 - 6 seeds. Most tamarinds in the Americas are of the shorter type.  
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The [[tree]] can grow up to 20 m  in height, and stays [[evergreen]] in regions without a dry season. Tamarind [[timber]] consists of hard, dark red [[heartwood]] and softer, yellowish sapwood. The leaves consist of 10&ndash;40 [[leaflet]]s. The [[flower]]s are produced in [[raceme]]s. The [[fruit]] is a brown pod-like [[legume]], which contains a soft acidic pulp and many hard-coated [[seed]]s. The seeds can be scarified to enhance [[germination]].
 
  
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Alternative names include '''Indian date''', translation of [[Arabic language|Arabic]] تمر هندي ''tamr hindī''. In [[Malaysia]] it is called ''asam'' in [[Malay language|Malay]] and ''swee boey'' in Hokkien ([[Min Nan]]). In [[Indonesia]] it is called ''asem'' (or ''asam'') ''Jawa'' (means ''Javanese asam'') in [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]. In the [[Philippines]] it is called [[sampaloc]] in [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] and sambag in [[Cebuano]]. In Oriya it is called [Tentuli]. In [[Hindi]] it is called ''imli''.  In [[Marathi]] it is called ''chinch''. In [[Bengali language|Bangla]], the term is ''tẽtul''. In [[Sinhalese language|Sinhala]] the name is ''siyambala'', in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] it is called Chintachettu (tree) and Chintapandu (fruit extract) and in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Malayalam]] it is ''puli''. In [[Kannada]] it is called ''hunase''. In [[Malagasy]] it is called ''voamadilo''. The [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] term is ''me''.  The tamarind is the provincial tree of the [[Phetchabun province]] of [[Thailand]] (in Thailand it is called ''Ma-kham'').
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==Cultivation==
 +
[[Image:Tamarindus indica, leaves, pod.jpg|thumb|''Tamarindus'' leaves and pod]]
 +
[[Image:tamarind2.jpg|thumb|Native Philippine Tamarind]]
 +
'''Location''': The tamarind ultimately becomes a fairly large tree, so this should be kept in mind when planting out the tree. It should be planted in full sun and is highly wind-resistant with strong, supple branches. The tree generally forms a beautiful spreading crown that casts a light shade.
  
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Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') should not be confused with Manila tamarind (''[[Pithecellobium dulce]]''), which is an entirely different plant, though also in Fabaceae.  
+
Soils Tamarinds tolerate a great diversity of soil types but do best in deep, well drained soils which are slightly acid. Trees will not tolerate cold, wet soils but are tolerant of salt spray and can be planted fairly near the seashore.
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[[Image:Tamarindus indica, leaves, pod.jpg|thumb|left|''Tamarindus'' leaves and pod]]
 
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==Uses==
 
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The fruit pulp is edible and popular.  It is used as a [[spice]] in both Asian and Latin American cuisines, and is also an important ingredient in [[Worcestershire sauce]], [[HP sauce]] and the Jamaican-produced [[Pickapeppa sauce]] <ref>http://www.pickapeppa.com/</ref>. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is very tart and acidic and is most often used as a component of savory dishes. The ripened fruit is sweeter, yet still distinctively sour, and can be used in desserts and sweetened drinks, or as a snack.  In Thailand, there is a carefully cultivated sweet variety with little to no tartness grown specifically to be eaten as a fresh fruit.
 
  
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In temples especially in Asian countries, the pulp is used to clean brass shrine furniture, removing dulling and the greenish patina that forms. [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/tamarind.html#Other%20Uses]
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'''Irrigation''': The tamarind is adapted to semiarid regions of the tropics and can withstand drought conditions quite well. Young trees require adequate soil moisture until they become established, but mature trees do quite well without supplemental irrigation. Avoid over-watering which results in soggy soils.
  
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The wood is a bold red color. Due to its density and durability, tamarind heartwood can be used in making [[furniture]] and wood flooring. A [[tamarind switch]] is sometimes used as an implement for [[physical punishment|corporal punishment]].  
+
'''Fertilization''': The tamarind is not very demanding in its nutritional requirements. Young trees should be fertilized every 2 - 3 months with a 6-6-3 NPK or similar analysis fertilizer. Apply 1/4 lb. and gradually increase to about 1/2 lb. Thereafter, young trees should receive 1/2 lb. per application, per year of tree age, 3 - 4 times a year. Bearing trees can be fertilized with 8-3-9 NPK or similar analysis, at rates of about 1/2 lb. per application per year of tree age. Microelements, particularly iron may be required for trees in alkaline soils.
  
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Tamarind trees are very common in South India, particularly in [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]]. They are used as [[ornamental tree]]s and to provide shade on the country roads and highways. Tamarind is extensively used in the cuisine of both these states.
+
'''Pruning''': Young trees are pruned to allow three to five well spaced branches to develop into the main scaffold structure of the tree. Maintenance pruning only is required after that to remove dead or damaged wood.  
  
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Tamarind is a staple in the [[Tamil Nadu]] diet, where it is used to prepare [[Rasam]],[[Sambar (dish)|Sambhar]], [[Puliyogare]], and various types of [[chutney]]s.
+
'''Harvest''': Tamarind fruits mature in late spring to early summer. They may be left on the tree for as long as 6 months after maturity so that the moisture content will be reduced to 20% or lower. Fruits for immediate processing are often harvested by pulling the pod away from the stalk. Mature trees are capable of producing 350 lb. of fruit a year. Ripe fruit in humid climates is readily attacked by beetles and fungi, so mature fruit should be harvested and stored under refrigeration.
  
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The pulp, leaves, and [[bark]] also have medical applications. For example, in the [[Philippines]], the leaves have been traditionally used in [[herbal tea]] for reducing [[malaria]] fever. Due to its medicinal value, tamarind is used as an [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic Medicine]] for gastric and/or digestion problems.
+
Tamarinds may be eaten fresh, but they area most commonly used with sugar and water in the American tropics to prepare a cooling drink. The pulp is used to flavor preserves and chutney, to make meat sauces ant to pickle fish. Candy can be made by mixing the pulp with dry sugar and molding it into desired shapes.  
  
−
In [[Egypt]], there is an acidic chilled drink made from tamarind which is popular in summertime. It is called "tamr hindi".  
+
===Propagation===
 +
[[Image:TamarindSeedling.jpg|thumb|A Tamarind seedling]]
 +
[[Rootstock]]s are propagated from seed, which germinate within a week. Seeds retain their viability for several months if kept dry. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep in containers filled with a UC soilless type potting media. They should be selected from trees of good production and quality. Even so, seedlings will be variable in quality and slow to bear. Veneer grafting, shield (T or inverted T) budding and air layering may be used to propagate desirable selections. Such trees will usually fruit within 3 - 4 years if provided optimum growing conditions. Seedlings should begin to produce fruit in 6 - 8 years, while vegetatively propagated trees will normally bear in half that time.
  
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Tamarind is available in specialty food stores worldwide in pod form or as a paste or concentrate. It is also sold in various snack forms in Southeast Asia  and in Mexico where it is dried and salted, candied (see for example [[pulparindo]]), and served as a cold drink. [[Pad Thai]], a Thai dish popular with Europeans and Americans, sometimes includes tamarind for its tart taste (though lime juice and/or white vinegar are more commonly used). A tamarind-based sweet-and-sour sauce served over deep-fried fish is also a common dish in Central Thailand. In Singapore and Malaysia it is used to add a sweet-sour taste to gravy for fish in a dish called [[asam fish]]. In the Philippines it is used to add a sour taste in [[Sinigang]] soup.
+
Young trees should be planted in holes larger than necessary to accommodate the root system. They should be planted slightly higher than existing ground level to allow for subsequent settling of the soil and a water basin should be built around each tree to assure adequate moisture for young trees. Spacing of trees is normally 20 to 25 ft. in commercial orchards. However, solitary trees planted in Southern California rarely exceed 15 feet in diameter.  
  
−
[[Image:tamarind2.jpg|left|thumb|Native Philippine Tamarind]]
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===Pests and diseases===
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In Latin America, especially Mexico, and Latin American immigrant communities in the US, the fruit is wildly popular and is fashioned into a drink, "Agua de Tamarindo", and many kinds of treats. Many popular ''Tamarindo'' concoctions are hard candies and suckers and one of the most popular [[aguas frescas]] is flavored with tamarind.  
+
In California tamarinds are generally free of pests and diseases, although [[ants]] will sometimes spread black and olive [[scales]]. In India there are are a host of pests that attack the tree, including [[mealybugs]], [[caterpillars]], [[aphids]], [[white flies]], [[thrips]] and a variety of [[scales]]. Various [[weevils]] and [[borers]] can also infest the ripening pods or stored fruits.  
  
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Tamarinds may also be used as a great [[bonsai]]. Although the leaves are not ideal for bonsai, they're quite lovely miniature trees.
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==Cultivars==
 +
There are selected cultivars which have sweeter pulp. One in Thailand is Makham Waan and the USDA's subtropical horticulture research unit in Miami, Florida has one called Manila Sweet. None are presently available in Southern California.  
  
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==Trivia==
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==Gallery==
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{{trivia|date=May 2007}}
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
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*  In [[Mexican Spanish|Mexican]] [[slang]] (especially in Mexico City), the term "''tamarindo''" also refers to traffic control officers, due to the brownish color of their uniforms.
 
  
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*  Tamarind tree is the plant representing Santa Clara city in Cuba. Consequently it appears in the Coat of Arm of the city. ''Further info:'' [[Santa Clara, Cuba]]
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<gallery>
 +
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
 +
</gallery>
  
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*  In the state of [[Andhra Pradesh]] in [[India]], a tangy pickle is made from Tamarind flowers.
+
==References==
 +
*[http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/tamarind.html CRFG Tamarind Fruit Facts]
 +
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
 +
<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
 +
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
  
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==References and external links==  
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==External links==
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*Dassanayake, M. D. & Fosberg, F. R. (Eds.). (1991). ''A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon''. Washington, D. C.: [[Smithsonian Institution]].
+
*{{wplink}}
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*[[Joseph Dalton Hooker|Hooker, Joseph Dalton]]. (1879). ''The Flora of British India'', Vol II. London: L. Reeve & Co.
 
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* [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/tamarind.html Fruits of Warm Climates: Tamarind]
 
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* [http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plants/tamarind_landing.html Plant Cultures: History and botany of tamarind]
 
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* [http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/tamarind.html California Rare Fruit Growers: Tamarind Fruit Facts]
 
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* [http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/10/ora_oasis_i_21.html Refusal Actions by FDA as Recorded in OASIS]
 
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* [http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia2107.html FDA Import Alert: Tamarind (11/29/06)]
 
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* [http://www.pickapeppa.com/ Official Pickapeppa sauce web site]
 
  
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{{Herbs & spices}}
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[[Category:Categorize]]
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==References==
 
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{{reflist}}
 
  
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[[Category:Arabic words and phrases]]
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<!--  in order to add all the proper categories, go to http://www.plants.am/wiki/Plant_Categories and copy/paste the contents of the page here, and then follow the easy instructions!    -->
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[[Category:Caesalpinioideae]]
 
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[[Category:Fruit]]
 
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[[Category:Spices]]
 
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[[Category:Trees of Africa]]
 
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[[Category:Flora of India]]
 

Revision as of 03:13, 1 May 2009


Tamarindus indica pods.JPG


Plant Characteristics
Lifespan: ⌛ perennial
Origin: ✈ Tropical Africa, Sudan
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ full sun"full sun" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water: ◍ drought tolerant"drought tolerant" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.
Features: ✓ fruit
Sunset Zones: not available
Scientific Names

Fabaceae >

Tamarindus >

indica >


Adaptation: The tamarind is well adapted to semiarid tropical conditions, although it does well in many humid tropical areas of the world with seasonally high rainfall. Young trees are very susceptible to frost, but mature trees will withstand brief periods of 28° F without serious injury. A tamarind tree in the Quail Botanical Gardens in San Diego County flowers, but rarely sets fruit, possibly because of the cool coastal climate. Dry weather is important during the period of fruit development. The tree is too large to be grown in a container for any length of time.

Growth Habit: Tamarinds are slow-growing, long-lived, evergreen trees that under optimum conditions can grow 80 feet high with a spread of 20 to 35 ft., in its native eastern Africa and Asia. However, in Southern California it seldom reaches more than 15 to 25 ft. in height.

Foliage: The bright green, pinnate foliage is dense and feathery in appearance, making an attractive shade tree with an open branch structure. The leaves are normally evergreen but may be shed briefly in very dry areas during the hot season. There are usually as many as 10 to 20 nearly sessile 1/2 - 1 inch, pale green leaflets per leaf. The leaflets close up at night.

Flowers: The inconspicuous, inch-wide, five-petalled flowers are borne in small racemes and are yellow with orange or red streaks. The flower buds are pink due to the outer color of the 4 sepals which are shed when the flower opens.

Fruit: The 3 - 8 inch long, brown, irregularly curved pods are borne in abundance along the new branches. As the pods mature, they fill out somewhat and the juicy, acidulous pulp turns brown or reddish-brown. When fully ripe, the shells are brittle and easily broken. The pulp dehydrates to a sticky paste enclosed by a few coarse stands of fiber. The pods may contain from 1 to 12 large, flat, glossy brown, obovate seeds embedded in the brown, edible pulp. The pulp has a pleasing sweet/sour flavor and is high in both acid and sugar. It is also rich in vitamin B and high in calcium. There are wide differences in fruit size and flavor in seedling trees. Indian types have longer pods with 6 - 12 seeds, while the West Indian types have shorter pods containing only 3 - 6 seeds. Most tamarinds in the Americas are of the shorter type.

Cultivation

Tamarindus leaves and pod
Native Philippine Tamarind

Location: The tamarind ultimately becomes a fairly large tree, so this should be kept in mind when planting out the tree. It should be planted in full sun and is highly wind-resistant with strong, supple branches. The tree generally forms a beautiful spreading crown that casts a light shade.

Soils Tamarinds tolerate a great diversity of soil types but do best in deep, well drained soils which are slightly acid. Trees will not tolerate cold, wet soils but are tolerant of salt spray and can be planted fairly near the seashore.

Irrigation: The tamarind is adapted to semiarid regions of the tropics and can withstand drought conditions quite well. Young trees require adequate soil moisture until they become established, but mature trees do quite well without supplemental irrigation. Avoid over-watering which results in soggy soils.

Fertilization: The tamarind is not very demanding in its nutritional requirements. Young trees should be fertilized every 2 - 3 months with a 6-6-3 NPK or similar analysis fertilizer. Apply 1/4 lb. and gradually increase to about 1/2 lb. Thereafter, young trees should receive 1/2 lb. per application, per year of tree age, 3 - 4 times a year. Bearing trees can be fertilized with 8-3-9 NPK or similar analysis, at rates of about 1/2 lb. per application per year of tree age. Microelements, particularly iron may be required for trees in alkaline soils.

Pruning: Young trees are pruned to allow three to five well spaced branches to develop into the main scaffold structure of the tree. Maintenance pruning only is required after that to remove dead or damaged wood.

Harvest: Tamarind fruits mature in late spring to early summer. They may be left on the tree for as long as 6 months after maturity so that the moisture content will be reduced to 20% or lower. Fruits for immediate processing are often harvested by pulling the pod away from the stalk. Mature trees are capable of producing 350 lb. of fruit a year. Ripe fruit in humid climates is readily attacked by beetles and fungi, so mature fruit should be harvested and stored under refrigeration.

Tamarinds may be eaten fresh, but they area most commonly used with sugar and water in the American tropics to prepare a cooling drink. The pulp is used to flavor preserves and chutney, to make meat sauces ant to pickle fish. Candy can be made by mixing the pulp with dry sugar and molding it into desired shapes.

Propagation

A Tamarind seedling

Rootstocks are propagated from seed, which germinate within a week. Seeds retain their viability for several months if kept dry. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep in containers filled with a UC soilless type potting media. They should be selected from trees of good production and quality. Even so, seedlings will be variable in quality and slow to bear. Veneer grafting, shield (T or inverted T) budding and air layering may be used to propagate desirable selections. Such trees will usually fruit within 3 - 4 years if provided optimum growing conditions. Seedlings should begin to produce fruit in 6 - 8 years, while vegetatively propagated trees will normally bear in half that time.

Young trees should be planted in holes larger than necessary to accommodate the root system. They should be planted slightly higher than existing ground level to allow for subsequent settling of the soil and a water basin should be built around each tree to assure adequate moisture for young trees. Spacing of trees is normally 20 to 25 ft. in commercial orchards. However, solitary trees planted in Southern California rarely exceed 15 feet in diameter.

Pests and diseases

In California tamarinds are generally free of pests and diseases, although ants will sometimes spread black and olive scales. In India there are are a host of pests that attack the tree, including mealybugs, caterpillars, aphids, white flies, thrips and a variety of scales. Various weevils and borers can also infest the ripening pods or stored fruits.

Cultivars

There are selected cultivars which have sweeter pulp. One in Thailand is Makham Waan and the USDA's subtropical horticulture research unit in Miami, Florida has one called Manila Sweet. None are presently available in Southern California.

Gallery

If you have a photo of this plant, please upload it! Plus, there may be other photos available for you to add.

  • photo 1

  • photo 2

  • photo 3

References

External links


Retrieved from "http://gardenology.mywikis.net/w/index.php?title=Tamarind&oldid=23772"