Editing Curry tree

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{about|the tree which produces aromatic leaf often used in Indian cuisine|the European plant sometimes called curry plant|Helichrysum italicum}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Curry tree
| image = Curry Trees.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{Cite iucn|title=Curry Leaf, ''Murayya koenigii''|page=e.T156236806A166564522|author=Plummer, J. |year=2021|access-date=6 March 2021|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T156236806A166564522.en}}</ref>
| genus = Bergera
| species = koenigii
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) <ref>{{GRIN}}</ref>
| synonyms = {{Species list
|Camunium koenigii|(L.) Kuntze 
|Chalcas koenigii|(L.) Kurz
|Chalcas siamensis|(Craib) Tanaka
|Murraya foetidissima|Teijsm. & Binn.
|Murraya koenigii|(L.) Spreng.
|Murraya siamensis|Craib 
|Nimbo melioides|Dennst.
  }}
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="Powo">{{cite web |title=''Bergera koenigii'' L. |publisher=Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:771522-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=16 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
}}

The '''curry tree''' or '''''Bergera koenigii''''' (syn. ''Murraya koenigii''), is a [[tropical]] and [[sub-tropical]] [[tree]] in the family [[Rutaceae]] (the rue family, which, apart from [[rue]], includes [[citrus]], and [[Chloroxylon swietenia|Ceylon satinwood]]), native to [[Asia]].<ref name="miss">{{cite web|title=''Murraya koenigii''|url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d441|publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO, USA|date=2019|access-date=13 August 2019}}</ref> The plant is also sometimes called '''sweet neem''', although neem (''[[Azadirachta indica]]'') is in a different family from ''B. koenigii'', namely the related family [[Meliaceae]].

Its leaves, known as ''curry leaves'', also referred to as ''sweet neem'', are used in many dishes in [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]] and [[Bangladesh]].

==Description==
[[File:Curry Tree flower.JPG|thumb|The small flowers are white and fragrant.]]
[[File:Fresh curry Leaf (49697684423).jpg|thumb|A leaflet (a 'curry leaf') close up]]
[[File:CurryLeaf Fruits.jpg|thumb|Ripe and unripe fruits]]
It is a small tree, growing {{convert|4–6|m|ft|0}}) tall, with a trunk up to {{convert|40|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} in diameter. The aromatic [[leaves]] are [[Pinnation|pinnate]], with 11–21&nbsp;leaflets, each leaflet {{convert|2|–|4|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1|–|2|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} broad. The plant produces small white [[flower]]s which can self-pollinate to produce small shiny-black [[drupe|drupes]] containing a single, large viable seed. The berry pulp is edible, with a sweet flavor.<ref name="parmar" />

==Distribution and habitat==
The tree is native to the Indian subcontinent.<ref name="Norman2002">{{Cite book|title=Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference|last=Norman|first=Jill|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqStAAAACAAJ|publisher=DK Publishing|year=2002|oclc=51005062|isbn=9780789489395|location=New York, New York|pages=212, 213}}</ref> Commercial plantations have been established in India, and also in [[Australia]] and South of Spain ([[Costa del Sol]]).<ref name="Norman2002" />

It grows best in well-drained soil that does not dry out, in areas with full sun or partial shade, preferably away from the wind. Growth is more robust when temperatures are at least {{convert|18|C|F|0}}.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://heritagegarden.uic.edu/curry-leaf-tree-murraya-koenigii|title=Curry leaf tree (''Murraya koenigii'')|website=Heritage Garden|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-02}}</ref>

==Etymology and common names==
The word "curry" is borrowed from the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] word ''kari'' ([[wikt:கறி|கறி]], literally "blackened"), the name of the plant associated with the perceived blackness of the tree's leaves.<ref name="oed">{{cite web |title=Curry and curry tree |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=curry+tree |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary |access-date=16 May 2023 |date=2023}}</ref> The records of the leaves being utilized are found in [[Tamil literature]] dating back to the 1st and 4th centuries CE. Britain had spice trades with the ancient Tamil region. It was introduced to England in the late [[16th century]].{{Citation needed|reason=Where are the records? Are the last two sentences connected, does ancient = 16th c?  Britain and England are not the same.|date=October 2023}}. 

The species ''Bergera koenigii'' was first published by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in ''Mantissa Plantarum'' vol.2 on page 563 in 1767.<ref name="Powo"/>
It was formerly known as ''Murraya koenigii'' {{au|(L.) Spreng.}}, which was first published in Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 2: 315 in 1825.<ref name="Murraya">{{cite web |title=''Murraya koenigii'' (L.) Spreng. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:774433-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=16 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Some sources still recognise it as the accepted name.<ref>{{cite book |last1=George |first1=A.S. |last2=Orchard |first2=A.E. |last3=Hewson |first3=H.J. |title=Oceanic islands 2. Flora of Australia |date=1993 |publisher=Australian Government Publishing Service |location=Canberra |pages=1–606 |edition=50}}</ref>

The former generic name, ''Murraya'', derives from [[Johan Andreas Murray]] (1740–1791), who studied botany under [[Carl Linnaeus]] and became a professor of medicine with an interest in [[medicinal plants]] at the University of [[Göttingen]], Germany.<ref name="miss" /> The specific name, ''koenigii'', derives from the last name of botanist [[Johann Gerhard König]].

The curry tree is also called ''curry leaf tree'' or ''curry bush'', among numerous local names, depending on the country.<ref name="cabi">{{cite web |date=14 July 2018 |title=''Murraya koenigii'' (curry leaf tree) |url=https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/35175 |access-date=13 August 2019 |publisher=CABI}}</ref><ref name="parmar" />

It is known by a variety of names in the Indian subcontinent and South Asia itself. Some of its alternative names are:{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
*[[Hindi language|Hindi]]: करी/करीयापत्ता का पेड़ (''kari/kariyāpattā ka peṛ'')
*[[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: ਕਡੀ/ਕੜੀ ਪੱਤੀ ਦਾ ਰੁਖ (''kaḍi/kaṛi patti dā rukh'')
*[[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]: મીઠો લીંબડો નુ બૃક્ષ/ઝાડ (''miṭho limbḍo nu bruksh/jhāḍ'')
*[[Marathi language|Marathi]]: कढीपानाचे/कढीलिंबाचे झाड (''kaḍhīpānache /kaḍhīlimbāche jhāḍ'')
*[[Bengali language|Bengali]]: করীফুুলীর/কারীপাতার গাছ (''kariphulir /kāripātār gāchh'') 
*[[Odia language|Odia]]: ଭୃଷଙ୍ଗର/ଭୃଷମର ଗଛ (''bhrusungara/bhrusamara gachha'')
*[[Assamese language|Assamese]]: নৰসিংহৰ গাছ (''narahingor gās'')
*[[Nepali language|Nepali]]: करीपात को रूख (''karipāt ko rūkh'')
*[[Meitei language|Meitei]]: ꯀꯔꯤ ꯄꯥꯝꯕꯤ (''kari pambi'')
*[[Kannada language|Kannada]]: ಕರಿಬೇವಿನ ಮರ (''karivēvina mara'')
*[[Tamil language|Tamil]]: கறிவேப்பிலை மரம் (''karivēppilai maram'')
*[[Telugu language|Telugu]]: కరివేపాకు చెట్టు (''karivēpāku cheṭṭu'')
*[[Malayalam]]: കറിവേപ്പ് (''karivēppu'')
*[[Tulu language|Tulu]]: ಬೇವುಡಿರೇ ಮರ (''bēvudirae mara'')
*[[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]: කරපිංච ගස (''karapincha gasa'')
*[[Burmese language|Burmese]]:ဟင်းရွက်သစ်ပင် (''hainnrwat saitpain'')

==Uses==
===Culinary===
Curry leaves have a "mild, aromatic, slightly bitter" flavor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=The Culinary Institute of America |author-link=The Culinary Institute of America |title=The Professional Chef |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-42 135-2 |edition=9th |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |page=180}}</ref>{{Cookbook|Curry Leaf}}
The fresh leaves are an indispensable part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicines. They are most widely used in southern and west coast [[Indian cuisine|Indian cooking]], usually fried along with vegetable oil, mustard seeds and chopped onions in the first stage of the preparation. They are also used to make [[thoran]], [[vada (food)|vada]], [[Rasam (dish)|rasam]], and [[kadhi]]; additionally, they are often [[Dry roasting|dry-roasted]] (and then ground) in the preparation of various powdered spice blends ([[Masala (spice)|masala]]s), such as South Indian sambar masala, the main seasoning in the ubiquitous vegetable stew [[Sambar (dish)|sambar]]. The curry leaves are also added as flavoring to [[masala dosa]], the South Indian potato-filled [[Dosa (food)|dosas]], made with a mildly probiotic, fermented lentil and rice batter. The fresh leaves are valued as seasoning in the cuisines of South and Southeast Asia.<ref name=parmar/> In [[Cambodia]], curry leaves ({{langx|km|ស្លឹកកន្ទ្រោប}}, {{lang|km-Latn|slœ̆k kontroap}}) are roasted and used as an ingredient for ''[[samlor machu kroeung]]''.<ref name=":1" /> In [[Java]], the leaves are often stewed to flavor ''[[gulai]]''. Though available dried, the aroma and flavor are greatly inferior. In almost all cases, the leaves will be freshly plucked from a garden only a few hours or even minutes before they are used.<ref name="Norman2002" /> The oil can be extracted and used to make scented soaps.<ref name=":1" />

The leaves of ''Murraya koenigii'' are also used as a [[herb]] in [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] and [[Siddha medicine]] in which they are believed to possess anti-disease properties,<ref name=":1" /><ref name="parmar">{{cite web |title=''Murraya koenigii'' (L.) Spreng |url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/12.html |publisher=From: Parmar, C. and M. K. Kaushal. 1982. Murraya koenigii. pages 45–48. In: Wild Fruits. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi, India. In: NewCROP, New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University |access-date=14 August 2019 |date=1982}}</ref> but there is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality clinical evidence]] for such effects.

The berries are edible, but the seeds may be toxic to humans.

==Propagation==
Seeds [[Recalcitrant seed|must be ripe and fresh]] to plant; dried or shriveled fruits are not viable. The skin must be peeled off, and this is recommended before planting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How to Peel Skin Of Curry Leaf Seeds to Grow Plants |url=https://curryleafplant.com/blogs/how-to-grow-curry-leaf-plants/how-to-peel-skin-of-curry-leaf-seeds-to-grow-plants |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=Curry Leaf Plants |date=27 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref> One can plant the whole fruit, but it is best to remove the pulp before planting in a potting mix that is kept moist but not wet. Stem cuttings can be also used for [[Plant propagation|propagation]].<ref name="miss"/> In the Indian subcontinent, the plant is a fixture in almost every household. It is mainly planted privately, but also cultivated commercially to a small extent. Because the leaves must be fresh upon use, it is often traded through a small neighborhood or city wide network of farmers, who regularly supply fresh leaves to stall vendors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-07-23 |title=Indian Spices |url=http://www.indianspices.com/html/s062fclf.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723141734/http://www.indianspices.com/html/s062fclf.htm |archive-date=2008-07-23  |access-date=2022-09-23 }}</ref>

==Chemical constituents==
[[File:Girinimbine.png|thumb|Chemical structure of [[girinimbine]].]]
Compounds found in curry tree leaves, stems, bark, and seeds include [[cinnamaldehyde]],<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sankar Ganesh|first1=Ravishankar Rai|title=In vitro antibiofilm activity of ''Murraya koenigii'' essential oil extracted using supercritical fluid CO2 method against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1|journal=Natural Product Research|date=2015|volume=29|issue=24|pages=2295–2298|issn=1478-6427|display-authors=etal|doi=10.1080/14786419.2015.1004673|pmid=25635569|s2cid=220349399 }}</ref> and numerous [[carbazole alkaloids]], including [[mahanimbine]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/167963|title=Mahanimbine|publisher=PubChem|date=2017}}</ref> [[girinimbine]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Girinimbine|title=Girinimbine|publisher=PubChem|date=2017}}</ref> and [[mahanine]].

Nutritionally, the leaves are a rich source of carotenoids, beta-carotene, calcium and iron.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Drisya |first1=C. R. |last2=Swetha |first2=B. G. |last3=Velu |first3=V. |last4=Indrani |first4=D. |last5=Singh |first5=R. P. |title=Effect of dried ''Murraya koenigii'' leaves on nutritional, textural and organoleptic characeteristics of cookies |journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology |date=January 2015 |volume=52 |issue=1 |pages=500–506 |doi=10.1007/s13197-013-1002-2|s2cid=96236829 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:774433-1 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref>

==External links==
*{{Commons category inline|Murraya koenigii}}

{{Herbs & spices}}
{{Culinary wrappings}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q244731|from2=Q39837286}}

[[Category:Murraya]]
[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Indian spices]]