Curry Leaves

[rutters]

Has anyone ever tried growing these? Not Curry Plant but Curry Leaves used in Asian cooking.

cheers

[Lacewing]

Has anyone ever tried growing these? Not Curry Plant but Curry Leaves used in Asian cooking.

cheers

Have you got a plant or just planning? It took me a while to find a supplier in this country. I am trying to grow one, having been sent a plant from a Scottish grower for my birthday last spring. It survived the summer in a pot outside in the sun with regular watering and I brought it inside to a sunny window sill over winter. It is still alive but not exactly thriving and no I haven't used any leaves yet for cooking as I would rather wait until it was looking stronger. Hoping that it might perk up in the spring when it goes back outside.
Any tips would be appreciated.

(in Somerset)

[supersprout]

If you google Curry Leaves, there are two guides to growing courtesy of Kew Gardens - one from seed, and one from cuttings.

http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plan...f_landing.html
http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plan...f_grow_it.html

We can buy fresh curry leaves from the market here, so I haven't ever wanted to grow it, but the idea of having it as an indoor windowsill plant is appealing!

[Earthbabe]

We can get fresh and dried very readily here in sunny (not at the moment!) Southampton so I'd not thought about it either.

[rutters]

Don't seem to be available where I live (Middlesbrough) Does anyone know of a place that sells plants or seeds mail order?

cheers

[Lacewing]

Thank you for the link to the growing instructions. It does say it is deciuous so hoping it isn't such a bad sign that it is dropping its leaves. Maybe I will also try rooting a cutting next time I find some fresh leaves.
My plant came from www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk/; I was interested that such a tender plant was being grown and propagated in Scotland.

[momol]

Hi Lacewing,

I grew curry leaves from seed, it is almost 2 years old little tree, they do shed some leaves during winter... but it will do just fine, just don't over watered them during winter and place them at the most sunny window sill , they seems to go dormant and don't really need that much water. They will grow some more leaves again during spring...
Hope it help...

Momol

[madderbat]

I'm sure we grew some of this on a west facing sheltered bed once in Leicestershire. Turns out it was this that we grew - nothing to do with curry leaves! Helichrysum italicum: Curry herb This has nothing to do with curry leaves! The so-called “curry plant” of South European origin
See pictures here: http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Murr_koe.html

[WiZeR]

wow forgot all about this. thanks all, going to try groing a few of these. £8.50 a plant tho !

[Weavie]

I have today been given some cuttings from a plant which looks like Rosemary and smells just like curry. I'm going to try and propogate it but just wondered if this is from the same family as the curry plant as above. It doesn't look the same though and just wondered if anyone knows what it might be?

[Earthbabe]

You probably have "Helichrysum italicum" or "angustifolia". Not much between them. This is commonly called curry plant because of the scent which is particularly noticeable after rain. Unfortunately you cannot cook with it.

The dried flowers are very attractive and it produces an essential oil so an infusion of the flowers would be quite nice on the skin. This infusion does not keep very well though so if you want to try some only make up a little to start. The properties would be very similar to those of the essential oil.

[Weavie]

Thanks guys. Glad I know that! Has anyone tried growing it as a deterrent plant at all? I was wondering if it was planted as a companion plant it would keeps some pests at bay. Perhaps??

[TPeers]

Don't know if it keeps anything away but the hoverflies love it!

[Earthbabe]

Bees and butterflies too.

[Weavie]

Well that's wonderful then. Hope I see some roots soon. Thanks again for your help.