Tamarind

Tamarind (Tamarindus) is a tropical tree from the legume family. His homeland is the eastern regions of the African continent. Over time, tamarind appeared in other countries of the tropical zone - there the plant began to be cultivated, and then it spread to the wild. In nature, tamarind is a very large tree, reaching up to 25 m in height. When growing at home, the size of tamarind is much less impressive: up to 1 m, subject to periodic pruning. The tree grows rather slowly.

The foliage of the plant has a pair-pinnate structure. Each leaf includes up to 30 thin leaf blades. The foliage curls up at night. The flowers of the plant are delicate pinkish or yellow tassels, but tamarind blooms very rarely at home. In the natural environment, after that, fruits are tied on the plant - beans filled with a large number of seeds.

Homemade tamarind usually resembles a miniature tree. An even more compact bonsai can be formed from it.

Interesting facts about tamarind

Tamarind fruits are considered edible and eaten by the inhabitants of Asian countries. They are dried, salted, frozen or candied. Unripe beans have a sour taste - they are used in spicy dishes. Ripe fruits are much sweeter and often serve as desserts. Sometimes the plant is called "Indian date". The pulp of its beans can also be used for household purposes - for example, it can be used to clean brass products. In addition, due to the content of many useful substances, beans, like other parts of the plant, are used in folk medicine, as well as in the cosmetic industry.

Tamarind wood has a pronounced red hue and is highly durable. Furniture and parquet boards are made from it. In the tropics, a tree with a beautiful spreading crown is also used to decorate streets.

Brief rules for growing tamarind

Growing tamarind requires suitable conditions. The table shows brief rules for caring for tamarind at home.

Tamarind care at home

In order for tamarind to grow healthy and beautiful, the basic conditions for growing this tropical tree must be observed. Otherwise, the plant may start to hurt.

Lighting

Tamarind prefers bright light, therefore, most often it is kept on windows in the southern direction, although they still try to protect the plant from extreme heat. In order for the crown of the tree to develop more evenly, it can be turned a little once a week. Lack of lighting leads to shrinking foliage and stretching of shoots.

Temperature

In spring and summer, a room temperature of about +24 degrees is perfect for a tree. Being a tropical plant, tamarind is not afraid of heat. But in winter, it is recommended to keep the container with it in a cooler (about +17) place, and also to protect it from strong drafts.

Air humidity

Tamarind needs high humidity. During the growth period, it can be sprayed twice a day - in the evening and in the morning. Additionally, open vessels with water can be placed next to the pot.

Watering

Tamarind needs a lot of moisture; it is not recommended to allow the soil coma to completely dry out. For watering, soft and slightly warm water is suitable. But the plant should also not be poured, especially during the cool period.

Capacity selection

Tamarind can be grown in both ceramic and plastic containers. Their volume must correspond to the size of the plant's root system, and drainage holes must be present at the bottom.

The soil

The tree is not demanding on the composition of the soil. Loose universal mixtures with a neutral reaction are suitable for him. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the planting tank.

Top dressing

Tamarind prefers liquid organic food. They should be brought in from late spring to early autumn about once every couple of weeks.

Transfer

When the tamarind becomes too cramped in the pot, it is moved to a new one. The transplant is carried out in the spring. Due to the fact that young plants have more active growth rates, they are transplanted annually. The tree is transferred to a new container along with an earthen clod. Small plants can be additionally covered with a jar or bag to create a greenhouse effect. With the beginning of the formation of fresh leaves, the shelter is gradually removed.

Pruning

At the very beginning of spring, the elongated branches of tamarind are pruned by about a third of the length. This helps to maintain the beauty of the crown and the overall decorative effect of the tree.

Bonsai formation

If you wish, you can turn tamarind into bonsai. To make the tree tiny, it is abundantly fed with increased doses of nitrogen supplements. After the size of the plant reaches half a meter, the top is cut off from it. After that, the trunk is formed, and after a year all the foliage is removed. New plates after such an operation acquire a miniature size.

Bloom

It will be extremely difficult to achieve flowering of tamarind at home; only fairly mature plants are capable of this. In nature, they bloom at the beginning of winter. During this period, numerous inflorescences-brushes are formed on the tree, having a pinkish or yellow tint.

Dormant period

A rest period is not required for tamarind. A decrease in temperature in winter is intended to slow down the growth rate of the plant so that it does not stretch out due to lack of light.

Breeding methods of tamarind

Growing from seeds

Tamarind can propagate by cuttings and layering, but more often its seeds are used for this. The fruits are washed and peeled from the pulp. To make the seeds hatch better, they are soaked in water for a couple of hours. Then the dense skin of each seed needs to be lightly filed or sandpaper. The prepared material is planted in a peat-perlite mixture. A thin layer of river sand is laid on top of the seeds.

The container with crops is placed in a warm corner, where diffused light enters. The moisture content of the soil must be constantly monitored, occasionally spraying the substrate. The sprouts appear in about 3 weeks.As soon as feathery leaves appear on them, you can dive them into your own pots.

Diseases and pests

The main problems with tamarind arise from the wrong conditions of its keeping.

• Slow growth rates - caused by a lack of nutrients or low light. The tree is fed and transferred to a more suitable place.
• Rotting root system - can be caused by abundant watering, especially during cool wintering. The planting pot must have drainage holes.
• Yellowing and falling of leaf plates - on the contrary, insufficient watering or high dryness of the air.

The main pests of the tree are spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs and aphids. You can try to remove small lesions with soapy water, stronger ones with insecticides.