Neem tree

Neem tree, with the official name of Azadirachta indica, is a tree native to the Indian subcontinent.

Sheikh Zain al-Din - Brahminy Starling on Neem Tree Branch - 1780

Classification

It is a perennial tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae.

Rank	Scientific Name and Common Name
Kingdom	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass	Rosidae
Order	Sapindales
Family	Meliaceae – Mahogany family
Genus	Azadirachta A. Juss. – azadirachta
Species	Azadirachta indica A. Juss. – neem

Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica)

Species

It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to the Indian subcontinent.

Symbol	Scientific Name
ANAZ2	Antelaea azadirachta (L.) Adelb.
MEAZ2	Melia azadirachta L.

Habitat

It is typically grown in tropical and semi-tropical regions.

Neem (Azadirachta indica) in Hyderabad

Appearance

Neem tree is a fast-growing tree - it can grow up to 15–20 meters tall, with a crown diameter of up to 20m, but can grow as tall as 40 meters.

Collected fruits and seeds of (Azadirachta indica) Neem tree in Visakhapatnam

Drought tolerance

This plant grows best in areas where annual rainfall is 450–1200mm. However, once established it is very drought tolerant.

Neem leaves

Neem leaves are pinnate, compound leaves 20–40cm long, with 20 to 30 medium to dark green toothed leaflets about 3–8cm long and arranged in opposite pairs. They are used as decorative item in many Indian festivals and special occasions such as marriages in India.

Neem flowers

The neem flowers are White flowers 5–6mm long and 8–11mm grow in drooping axillary clusters from the stem. These branching inflorescences (up to 25cm long) can bear from 150 to 250 flowers.

Neem fruit

• The fruit is an elongated, smooth olive-like stone fruit like drupe and is about 1.4–2.8cm x 1.0–1.5cm.
• The fruit skin is thin and turns from green to yellow when ripe.
• The pulp is yellowish-white, 0.3–0.5cm thick and very fibrous.

Neem Seeds

Fruits usually contain single brown-coated and elongated seed kernels. It rarely contains two or three seeds. This plant reproduces mainly from seeds, which are dispersed by fruit-eating birds and by water.

Neem oil

Available at many garden centers, neem oil has been used as an insecticide and organic pest control measure. Benefits of neem oil include:

• Disrupts the life cycle of insects in any stage (egg, larvae, or adult)
• Biodegradable, nontoxic to pets, birds, fish, and other wildlife
• Won’t pollute ground water or runoff
• Won’t harm bees, butterflies, and lady bugs
• Effective against many common insect pests
• Effective against powdery mildew and other fungal infections

How to use neem oil as organic pesticide?

• To prepare for use, mix 2 teaspoons neem oil with 1 quart of water (option to mix 1 teaspoon mild liquid soap)
• To use, spray on affected plant foliage
• Spray early in the morning or in the evening. Avoid spraying during the heat of the day when the combination of sun and oil can burn foliage.

Neem toothbrush

In the traditional Indian villages, small neem tree branches of the size of half a centimeters in diameter are cut in to about 10 inch long sticks when fresh and one end of it is chewed to make it like a brush which is then used as a tooth brush.

Shade tree

Neem tree is also used as a shade trade in India and other countries.

Gallery

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  Pollen grains of Azadirachta indica

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  Neem tree

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  Neem Tree farm from south India

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  A large tree

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  Leaves

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  Bark

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  Neem seeds

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  Unripe fruit

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  Neem tree in a banana farm in India

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  Neem tree farm

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  Twigs for sale

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  Fruit drying for oil extraction

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  Cleaning teeth by chewing stick

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  A tree in Bangladesh

See also

• Azadirachtin
• Arid Forest Research Institute (AFRI)
• Neem cake
• Neem oil
• Babool (brand) of toothpaste
• Teeth cleaning twig (datun)

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• Azadirachta indica in West African plants – A Photo Guide.