Kari Patta / Curry Leaf Tree
Murraya koenigii
Also known as Curry Bush
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Murraya koenigii
- Genus
- Murraya
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Cultivated
- Habitat type
- Cultivated
- Native to
- Indian subcontinent
- Distribution
- India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Indo-China
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Recorded for Kari Patta.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Rutaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- कढ़ी पत्ते का पेड़,करी पत्ता kari patta,मीठी नीम mithi nim,कढीपत्ता पेड kadhipatta ped
- Bengali
- বারসুঙ্গা
- Tamil
- கறிவேம்பு, கறிவேப்பிலை
- Telugu
- కరివేపాకు
- Kannada
- ಕರಿಬೇವಿನ ಮರ, ಕರಿಬೇವು ಸೊಪ್ಪು ಮರ, ಬೈಸೊಪ್ಪು ಮರ
- Malayalam
- കറിവേപ്പ്, Curry Tree, കരിയേപ്പ്
- Marathi
- कढीलिंब, कडी पत्ता, कडीपत्ता
Kari Patta in India
The curry leaf tree is a kitchen-garden staple across India, called कढ़ी पत्ते का पेड़ (Hindi), கறிவேம்பு (Tamil), కరివేపాకు (Telugu), ಕರಿಬೇವಿನ ಮರ (Kannada), കറിവേപ്പ് (Malayalam), कढीलिंब (Marathi). Native to the Indian subcontinent, Murraya koenigii is widely cultivated and recorded across Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, often as a potted plant on balconies and in backyards for a steady supply of fresh leaves.
Uses
The aromatic leaves are central to South and West Indian cooking, fried in hot oil at the start of a tempering (tadka) for dals, sambar, rasam and chutneys. The leaves are used fresh; dried ones lose most of their fragrance. The plant also has attributed uses in traditional medicine.
How to Identify Kari Patta
A small, slender tree or shrub in the citrus family with glossy pinnate leaves of many small leaflets that release a distinctive savoury aroma when crushed. Clusters of small white flowers are followed by tiny berries that ripen black. The smell instantly separates it from the bitter, look-alike neem.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Curry Leaf Tree called in different Indian languages?
- कढ़ी पत्ते का पेड़ (Hindi); கறிவேம்பு (Tamil); కరివేపాకు (Telugu); ಕರಿಬೇವಿನ ಮರ (Kannada); കറിവേപ്പ് (Malayalam); कढीलिंब (Marathi); বারসুঙ্গা (Bengali).
- Why is my curry leaf plant not bushy?
- Curry leaf bushes out when the growing tips are pinched and leaves are harvested regularly; it also prefers full sun and warmth, slowing in cold weather.
- Are curry leaves and curry powder related?
- No — curry leaves are the fresh leaves of Murraya koenigii used in tempering, while 'curry powder' is a separate blend of ground spices.
Rutaceae
Citrus/Rue family
Kari Patta belongs to the Rutaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Rutaceae family →Snap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Kari Patta or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Rutaceae
View all Rutaceae →Sources: GBIF — Murraya koenigii (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Murraya koenigii (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Murraya koenigii (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)