Tamarind Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on May 18, 2022

Planting instructions

A tamarind tree won’t perish in partial shade. However, full sunlight gives this plant the greatest opportunity to thrive and produce the fruit pods for which it is so well known. Tamarind trees also have few preferences when it comes to soil type and quality. Focus instead on creating a planting hole that’s as deep as the root ball is tall and at least twice as wide. You should also ensure that your tree has plenty of space in which to expand. About 30 feet of space is often enough to accommodate your tamarind tree’s mature size.

Watering and nutrients

As is typically the case, young tamarind trees will need far more water than those that are old. During establishment, check the soil and provide water whenever the first few layers have become dry. When your tree is older, it will tolerate drought and may need little to no supplemental watering except during droughts and heat waves. Mature tamarind trees will usually survive without fertilization as well. However, applying a fertilizer with higher amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus every three months can encourage healthy growth and fruit development.

Pollination

Tamarind trees bloom in the spring with flowers that can range in color from red to yellow. These flowers have both male and female parts, allowing this plant to undergo self-pollination or cross-pollination. As such, you can produce fruits with a single tamarind tree, but having more than one will make for a better harvest in most cases. Usually, tamarind trees rely on insects, including honey bees, to conduct their pollination each year. Once the flowers are pollinated, they will give way to the fruit pods that arrive a few weeks later.

Pruning

Prune your tamarind tree in the spring or in the summer with tools that are both sharp and clean. While this tree often develops into a pleasing form on its own, some pruning will help its growth. Specifically, you may want to focus on thinning the canopy of this tree, as it can become quite dense if you don’t. You should also know that this tree typically responds quite well to pruning, so you don’t need to worry about harming the tree as you make your pruning cuts.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Insect pests should be one of the greatest concerns for anyone growing a tamarind tree. The most damaging of these pests is often an insect called the oriental yellow scale, but other types of scale can attack as well. Mealybugs and fruit borers can also be a problem for tamarind trees and may affect the overall health and the fruits of this species. Diseases are less common but can be a challenge, with leaf spots being one of the most prominent.

Harvesting

The fruits of a tamarind tree are usually ready for harvest in the spring months of March and April. These fruits form in pods, and when the pods are dry and brown, that usually means they are ripe. Often, these trees drop unripe pods on the ground below the canopy. You can harvest these fallen fruits and those that remain on the branches, and both will continue to ripen while they are in storage.

Achieving maximum results

While tamarind trees are incredible for their edible uses, you should not neglect their ornamental value. Tamarind tree leaves are small and give a distinctly tropical feel to your garden. These plants also have spreading branches that make for a nice form and provide you with plenty of shade once they are large enough. Still, the edible uses of this plant are impressive, and anyone who grows a tamarind tree for its fruit should take full advantage and incorporate these legumes into meat dishes, sauces, and more.

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