I grew my first curry leaves plant from a baby plant dug out from my neighbour's garden. My neighbour had an old curry leaves tree and the ripen berries had dropped and germinated into many baby plants all around the foot of the tree. I remembered when I brought the baby plant into my garden, it was only about 4 inches tall.
I planted my curry leaves plant in a 9 inches pot because at that time, it was the only pot available. Besides this potted plant, now I have a few baby plants in my garden. I found one growing in a flower pot and some are all over the garden ground. These baby plants sprouted from seeds brought through bird's dropping.
Scientific name for curry leaves plant is Murraya Koenigii and it belongs to the Rutaceae family. It is a tropical plant and is a very common plant found in most homes in Malaysia.
Curry leaves plant is an herb. It is a culinary plant, its leaves are used as an ingredient in cooking in Malaysia and neighbouring countries. The leaves have a nice fragrant and when used in cooking, they add aroma and flavour to the dishes especially in curry dishes. Curry leaves are also being used in many Chinese dishes.
Curry leaves plant is an evergreen plant and can be grown in the ground and in pots. When it is grown in the ground, it can grow into a small tree. This plant needs full sunlight. It grows well in normal garden soil with good water drainage. If it is placed in the shade, it must have bright light and with warm environment. If it is grown in pots, it needs to be fertilized regularly, about once a month.
Curry leaves plant is grown for its leaves. As the young plant grows, pinch off the top or young shoots to encourage more branches to grow for increased leaves quantity. The leaves are small leaflets found along the stalks. Pluck the leaves stalks from the stem and the leaves are best used when they are fresh.
When the plant is matured, it will bear white to beige flowers. After the flowers, it will form berries. The berries will grow from green to dark red to dark purple colour. I was told that the berries are edible but the seeds are poisonous. I only use the leaves for cooking and do not used the berries.
Once the plant starts to bloom, the leaves quantity and quanlities will be reduced. To ensure the quanlity and quantity of the leaves, the tops with the flowering buds are to be cut off.
Propagation is through seeds or stem cuttings. The curry leaves plants in my garden are from seeds. I have not tried propagation through stem cuttings.
Common pests of curry leaves plants are the mealy bugs, scales, aphids and spider mites. If I see the plant affected by pest, I usually cut off the infected branch or branches. Sometimes I even have to cut it bald if the problem is serious. After some time, new shoots will grow from the stems.
Benefits and Medicinal Uses
- Curry leaves are found to be high in antioxidant, anti-inflammation, vitamins and powerful healing compound.
- Curry leaves are widely and commonly used in mostly Indian, Chinese, Malay and other races' curry dishes and also non-curry dishes.
- Besides being used in cooking, it is also commonly used in traditional medicines.
- Curry leaves are claimed to be able to control diabetes especially type 2 diabete, heart diseases, infections, inflammation, cholesterol, protects colon and improve memory.
And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power.
Then Jesus went around doing good and
healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with Him.
(Acts 10:38, New Living Translation-NLT)
