{"product_id":"tamarind-tree-seeds-tamarindus-indica","title":"Tamarind Tree Seeds | Tamarindus indica","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAustralian Grown • Organically Cultivated\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePack Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Choose the Standard Pack with 10 seeds or the Best Value Pack with 30 seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical Name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eTamarindus indica\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeed Profile:\u003c\/strong\u003e Glossy chestnut brown seeds with a hard coat and compressed irregular form, typically 11 to 17 mm long\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tropical and subtropical fruit tree\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMature Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Large spreading tree with a broad rounded crown\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun once established\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eABOUT TAMARIND\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTamarind is one of the great fruit trees of the tropics. \u003cem\u003eTamarindus indica\u003c\/em\u003e develops a broad rounded crown filled with fine paired leaflets that fold together at night, giving the tree a surprisingly delicate appearance despite its eventual size.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts golden flowers are patterned with distinctive red veins. These are followed by brown curved pods containing the tart pulp that has made Tamarind part of food cultures across much of the tropical world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiven warmth, full sun and enough space, Tamarind can develop into an impressive landscape tree with a wide spreading crown and a presence that can endure for generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDID YOU KNOW?\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the Sir Edward Pellew Islands in the Northern Territory, archaeologists recognise 18 Makassan sites linked to the historic trepang trade with Indonesia. Introduced Tamarind trees are among the physical evidence recorded there, making the tree itself part of the archaeological record of centuries of contact between Makassan seafarers and Aboriginal communities.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eORIGINS \u0026amp; ETHNOBOTANICAL HISTORY\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCarried Across Continents\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eTamarind has been cultivated and moved by people for so long that its precise wild origin remains difficult to reconstruct.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCurrent botanical treatments differ. Kew lists the Comoros and Madagascar within the native range, while other botanical accounts have also considered East Africa and India when discussing the tree's earliest distribution.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is certain is that Tamarind began travelling extraordinarily early. Its fruit was traded widely in ancient times and by the fourth century BCE the tree was already being cultivated around the eastern Mediterranean.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore than two thousand years ago, people were already carrying Tamarind far beyond its earliest range. They kept planting it because it offered something worth carrying with them: useful fruit, a durable tree and a species capable of becoming part of everyday life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe Date of India\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven the name Tamarind preserves part of that journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eArab sea traders encountering the fruit in western India combined \u003cem\u003etamr\u003c\/em\u003e, their word associated with the date palm, with \u003cem\u003ehindi\u003c\/em\u003e, meaning India. The resulting \u003cem\u003etamr hindi\u003c\/em\u003e, commonly rendered as “date of India”, travelled onward with commerce.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOver time, \u003cem\u003etamr hindi\u003c\/em\u003e developed into the English word Tamarind and also helped give rise to the botanical genus \u003cem\u003eTamarindus\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe name therefore records more than a place. It preserves one chapter in the much longer story of people carrying this tree between cultures and continents.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eA Tree Woven Into Everyday Life\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross South Asia and Southeast Asia, Tamarind became deeply embedded in everyday food culture. Its distinctive sour pulp found a place in curries, sauces, chutneys, drinks, preserves and confectionery.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts importance in West Africa runs just as deep.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn ethnobotanical study involving 220 people from 11 ethnic groups across Benin, Mali and Senegal documented traditional food preparations using Tamarind fruit, seeds, flowers and leaves. Tamarind was consumed regularly throughout the year by many of the rural communities studied, showing that it was far more than an occasional wild food.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts usefulness extended beyond the kitchen. Tamarind wood has been used for tools, utensils, construction, fuel and charcoal while other parts of the tree became incorporated into regional systems of traditional plant knowledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTamarind was therefore not simply a fruit crop. It became food, material, trade and practical resource within the landscapes where people lived.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhy Tamarind Endured\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcross parts of Africa, Tamarind became integrated into working agricultural landscapes rather than existing only as a separate orchard tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUseful trees such as Tamarind have long occurred alongside crops in traditional parkland farming systems. Their presence reflects a relationship in which cultivated land and valuable trees were not always treated as competing uses of the same space.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat helps explain Tamarind's extraordinary persistence. The tree did not spread across the tropical world simply because it could survive there. It spread because people repeatedly found reasons to protect it, use it and plant it again.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eGROWING GUIDE\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to Grow Tamarind from Seed in Australia\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest Time to Start: October to February.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn tropical climates, sow whenever conditions remain consistently warm.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep 1: Scarify the Seed\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTamarind seeds have a very hard outer coat. Gently rub one small area with fine sandpaper until the glossy surface has been removed and the seed coat is visibly thinned. Stop before damaging the inner seed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep 2: Soak for 24 Hours\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlace the scarified seeds in clean room temperature water for approximately 24 hours.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep 3: Sow 1 to 1.5 cm Deep\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlant each seed approximately 1 to 1.5 cm deep in a clean seed raising mix that drains freely. Water gently after sowing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep 4: Maintain 25 to 30°C\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKeep the propagation environment at approximately 25 to 30°C. Maintain consistent moisture without allowing the growing medium to become waterlogged.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep 5: Monitor Germination\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder suitable warm conditions, scarified Tamarind seeds can begin emerging from around 8 days. Individual seeds and seed lots vary, so continue providing stable warmth and moisture for up to 45 days.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep 6: Establish the Seedlings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs seedlings establish, gradually increase their exposure to stronger light until they are ready for full sun. Move them into larger containers before the roots become crowded.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGermination Notice:\u003c\/strong\u003e Germination is a natural biological process. Results vary with seed condition, scarification, temperature, moisture and growing medium.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePLANT CARE \u0026amp; MAINTENANCE\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Best suited to tropical and subtropical climates. Protect young plants from frost and prolonged cold.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Adaptable to a wide range of soil types provided drainage is good.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater:\u003c\/strong\u003e Water regularly while young plants establish. Mature trees become considerably more tolerant of dry conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePotential Mature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to approximately 30 m in favourable tropical conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpace:\u003c\/strong\u003e Allow generous room for the broad spreading crown and long term development of the tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContainers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Young Tamarind plants can be raised in containers. Move them into larger pots as required. Ground planting is ultimately better suited to the natural size of the species where climate and space permit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Light formative pruning while young can help establish a strong framework and manageable shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Biosecurity\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eACT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNSW\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQLD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTAS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConditions apply\u003cbr\u003ePlease verify current Tasmanian small-weight seed import requirements before ordering.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nre.tas.gov.au\/biosecurity-tasmania\/plant-biosecurity\/small-weight-seed-imports\"\u003eView Tasmanian seed import requirements →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVIC\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot available\u003cbr\u003eSacred Plants Australia does not currently post this seed to Western Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eINTERNATIONAL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConditions apply\u003cbr\u003ePlease confirm your destination's import requirements before ordering. International post is available where permitted. Sacred Plants Australia does not provide phytosanitary certificates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eLast Reviewed: 1 October 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/biosecurity-import-information\"\u003eBiosecurity \u0026amp; Shipping Information →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e© 2026 Sacred Plants Australia. All rights reserved.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sacred Plants Australia","offers":[{"title":"Starter Pack 10 Seeds","offer_id":53847065198886,"sku":"TTS-10","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Best Value Pack 30 Seeds • Save 33%","offer_id":53847065231654,"sku":"TTS-30","price":29.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1035\/7656\/8102\/files\/sacred-plants-australia-tamarind-tree-seeds-tamarindus-indica-pod-close-up.png?v=1790761363","url":"https:\/\/sacredplants.com.au\/products\/tamarind-tree-seeds-tamarindus-indica","provider":"Sacred Plants Australia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}