Tamarindus indica 

Tamarind

Not native to Florida

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Native to India, Africa and Madagascar, some of these trees have escaped from cultivation to be rarely found in disturbed coastal hammocks of Manatee and Lee Counties.
Tamarind can grow to 20m (65 ft.) high with a spread nearly as broad, but often found much smaller. Leaves are alternate and even pinnately compound with 10-15 pairs of leaflets. Leaf blades are 5-13cm (2-5 in.) long with leaflets 8-19mm (1/3 to 3/4 in.) in length. Flowers are pale yellow with reddish-pink veins. Fruit is a slightly curved hard, velvety pod 5-18cm (2-7 in.) long and brown when mature. The fruit is used for natural medicines and the sticky pulp between the husk and the seed is made into a paste for cooking.
For more information, visit the University of Florida IFAS Extension page for Tamarindus indica.

Tamarindus indica is a member of the Fabaceae - Pea family.

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species

USDA Plant Profile for this species

Date record last modified: Sep 23, 2020