This is some information about growing Tamarind (Tamarindus Indica) as a bonsai tree and doing it from seed. The picture above shows one of the tamarind trees at about one month old. I ordered the seeds from Hirts gardens through amazon.com. You can order the same seeds here. I ordered this tree seed because of the wonderful exotic and ancient look that the mature tree has. The mature height of this tree can go to 80 feet but of course we are going to train it to be just a tad smaller!

"Tamarindus indica"

Tamarind Tree 10 Seeds/Seed -Bonsai- Tamarindus indica

• Mature Height: 80'
• Known for its tart pulp used in chutney and numerous other dishes
• Very attractive tree, especially when young - makes a terrific indoor tree that may easily be kept short
• Makes an excellent bonsai!
• 10 Seeds

10 seeds Tamarindus indica Tamarind Tree

Bonsai Boy's Flowering Tamarind Bonsai Tree - Large tamarindus indica

Native to tropical Africa and naturalized around the world. The Tamarind is an attractive tree valued for its shade and edible fruit. The foliage is bright green, dense, pinnate and feathery in appearance. The leaflets close at night. The inconspicuous, inch-wide, five petaled 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 four sepals which are shed when the flower opens. The Tamarind is long-lived and slow growing. Prized as bonsai due to the very attractive rough bark that it develops. Makes a great indoor bonsai.

About the Tamarind: It is native to the Sudan and Tropical Africa. But it is cultivated in many tropical and sub tropical places all over the world including the southern parts of the United States. The fruit pulp is edible but strong in taste and is often used in many different dishes and as a pickling agent. Parts of the tree are also used for medicinal purposes.

How to Start it off from seed

The tamarind is a great choice for a bonsai tree. The seeds are large and typically they are scarified before planting. Scarification is the practice of cutting some slices through the outer layer so it can germinate easier.

You can plant them directly in potting soil or bonsai soil or you can start them out in layers of paper towels. If you plant them in soil you can sow them about 1/2 inch deep.

Here is a picture of two tamarind that I have started out between sheets of paper towels. The one on the left is germinating nicely and ready to be planted into soil. Keep the paper towels wet and be patient. It may take a couple of weeks. And scarifying the seeds first is a good idea.

Here is a tamarind seedling. My experience has been that these seeds are very hardy and grow very nicely. If you are a beginner to gardening or to bonsai I think that Tamarind is a great choice to start out.

Note: It is prone to dropping its leaves in dry weather so keep it watered and keep the soil moist.

Here is the Tamarind at 1 year old.

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