CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

NEEM

Azadirachata indica

Botanical name	: Azadirachata indica (A. Juss.)
Synonym	: Antelaea azadirachta (L.)
Vernacular name	: Neem
Family	: Meliaceae
About the Tree	: Azadirachta indica is a fast growing evergreen popular tree found commonly in India, Africa and America1. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 4000 years due to its medicinal properties.
Height	: About 15 M
Bark	: Dark brown colour, rough with deep vertical furrows
Leaf	: Up to 35 cm long, with 4-9 pairs of near opposite smooth leaflets, leaflets are 3-8 cm long, very unequal at base, coarsely toothed.
Flower	: Only about 5mm long; white, arrange in cluster from leaf axile; 5 petals; bisexual and male flowers are on the same tree.
Fruits	: Up to 2 cm long, fleshy, yellow when ripe, a hard stone encased in thin pulp inside and becomes wrinkled as it ripens
Season	: leaves start falling late in February or early in March. Trees are bare for only a brief time before new pink leaves emerges. The canopy is renewed by early April. Flowers appear soon after the new leaves by mid April or so fruits ripen and start dropping in July.
Medicinal Properties Peculiar Character	: All parts of the Neem tree are credited with medicinal value. : The Neem tree is noted for its drought resistance.