How to Care For Sweet Neem Plants

The sweet neem, or curry leaf, plant (Murraya koenigii) is a small shrub native to India and often used in Indian cooking. In the United States, sweet neem is grown outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12. Gardeners in cooler regions grow the plants in containers so they can easily be moved indoors during cold weather. The plant is evergreen but does sometimes experience a winter dormancy period. This period can be shortened if you provide supplemental lighting and warm temperatures to extend the active season.


Plant sweet neem plants in fertile, well-drained soil located in full sun or part shade. Sweet neem also does very well in containers.


Pinch off the tips of young plants as they grow to encourage a bushier plant structure that produces more leaves. Prune established plants each spring as new growth begins to keep the plant shapely, compact and producing large amounts of leaves.


Fertilize the plant weekly during the growing season with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, using a liquid fertilizer at half strength. If you prefer, you can use a slow-release granular fertilizer once a month. Discontinue this feeding during the winter months unless you can provide the plant with extra lighting to compensate for the shorter days.


Allow the soil around the plant to dry completely in between waterings. Reduce the amount of water you provide the plant during the winter months.


Bring potted plants inside for the winter or whenever temperatures are expected to drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the plant in a window where it will receive a lot of sunlight. Although the sweet neem is considered to be an evergreen, it may drop some leaves and go into a winter dormancy period.


Repot container-grown sweet neem when it outgrows its container or becomes root bound. This will only need to be done once every few years because this plant grows slowly.

Things You Will Need

  • Pruning shears
  • Fertilizer for acid-loving plants
  • Potting soil
  • Container

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