Neem Tree Profile

An evergreen tree in the Meliaceae family, neem is indigenous to Southeast Asia. Neem, or Margosa, grows extremely quickly, up to 2.6 feet (80cm) a year, and it can reach a height of around 5.6 feet (170cm) in its first season.

Maturity is reached after 7-10 years. At maturity, the tree can be as tall as 50 – 65 feet (15 – 20 meters), or even up to 100 feet in very favorable climates, but it is able to withstand drought. The wide canopy, with expansion of up to 50 – 65 feet (15 – 20 m), forms a rounded crown of leaves that produce delicate white flowers and small, olive-shaped green fruit. Below the canopy, the furrowed bark is short and straight and the tree is held in place by one strong taproot and several well developed lateral roots, which can extend out over 60 feet (18m).

With a lifespan of 150 to 200 years, the neem tree flourishes in sandy, saline soils and thrives in hot climates. Although commercial cultivation of this tree is limited outside of South Asia, coverage has spread across lowland regions of Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Australia and the South Pacific.

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Spermatophyta

Subphylum: Angiospermae                                                          

Class: Dicotyledonae

Order: Rutales

Family: Meliaceae

Genus: Azadirachta

Species: Azadirachta indica