Murraya koenigii

Murraya koenigii is the source of fresh curry leaves, an integral spice in Indian cooking, particularly in southern and west coast dishes, and in Cambodian Khmer food. It is a small to medium sized tree that hails from the Indian subcontinent. The fresh leaves are usually fried or roasted and either added whole or chopped to dishes or ground into a powder for blending with other spices. Though the dried leaves can often be purchased in South Asian grocery stores, the fresh leaves are superior in flavour and aroma. The pulp of the black berries is also edible and sweet. Most likely hardy to zone 9 though some sources suggest zone 8b and others zone 10a. Best to grow in a container in a hot location in summer and protect in winter.

The famed Curry Leaf plant, native to India and Ceylon, lends its pungent scent as a main ingredient in delicious curries. The many segmented foliage is borne on a compact bush convenient for harvesting.