What Is Neem?

Neem (Azadirachta indica) belongs to mahogany family tree. In India, it is called the "Heal All" or "Divine Tree". Neem is very useful from roots to leaves. It is said to cure more than 40 different diseases. The neem fruit produce neem oil which is the main player and commonly used. It's very useful in different ways such as skin care and acne treatment.

Neem seed kernel is rich in oil. Neem oil contains Azadiractin and other components that kills insects and fungis. By mixing pure neem oil in your plant water spray, it will give your plants extra protection againts harmful insects and pesticides.

Neem or Margosa is a botanical cousin of mahogany. It belongs to the family Meliaceae. The latinized name of Neem - Azadirachta indica - is derived from the Persian: Azad = "Free", dirakht = "Tree, i" - Hind = "of Indian Origin" which literally means: ‘The Free Tree of India’.

Neem is an attractive broad-leaved, evergreen tree which can grow up to 30m tall and 2.5m in girth. Its trunk usually straight is 30-80 cm in diameter. Its spreading branches form a rounded crown of deep-green leaves and honey-scented flowers as much as 20m across.

Local Names

Hindi - Neem
Bengali - Nim, Nimgachh
Konkani - Beva-rooku
Marathi - Kadunimb
Gujarati - Leemdo
Tamil - Vembu, Vempu
Punjabi - Nimb
Malayalam - Veppu, Aryaveppu, Aruveppu, Kaippan, Veppu, Vepa
Simhalee - Nimu
Oriya - Nimo
Telegu - Vepa
Kannada - Bevinmar, Kahibevu
English - Margosa, Neem, Indian Lilac
French - Azarirae d’lnde, Margousier
German - Indischer Zadrach
Persian - Azade Darakhte Hindi
Arabic - Azad Darkhtu Hind
Burmese - Tamabin, Kamakha
Malay - Dawoon Nambu, Baypay
Latin - Azadirachta indica A. Juss or Melia azadirachta Linn
Farsi - Azad darkht 1 hindi (Free tree of India)
Singapore - Kohumba, nimba
Indonesia - Mindi
Nigeria - Don goyaro
Spanish - Margosa
Nepal - Nim
Portuguese - Margosa, Nimbo

Contemporary Importance

Neem is currently one of the world’s most researched trees. It is a tree that can help solve global environmental and health concerns.

Environmentally, Neem has a reputation as a natural air purifier, exhaling out oxygen and keeping the oxygen level in the atmosphere balanced. Neem's ability to withstand extreme heat and water pollution is well known. It also helps to improve fertility of the soil and to rehabilitate degraded wastelands.

The Neem tree can also play a vital role in controlling soil erosion, salination and preventing floods. But Neem is far more than a tough tree that grows vigorously in difficult sites. Among its many benefits, the one that is most unusual and immediately practical is the control of farm and household pests. Some entomologists now believe that Neem has such remarkable powers for controlling insects that it will usher in a new era in safe, natural pesticides.

The ecosystem is a major issue on the global agenda and preserving the ecosystem is a priority. A UN study predicts that by the year 2050, most of Asia and Africa will be reduced to a dust bowl if we continue the way we are going. Another study by FAO points out that some pests may soon be beyond control! Neem seed contains bio-active fractions that can help in pest management strategies and help us save our environment. This bio-activity of Neem based products has been extensively evaluated and proven. Because of the fear of toxic residues in food products associated with the use of chemical pesticides, there is a growing need for pest control agents of plant origin which do not leave any toxic residues. Though many plant chemicals have been reported to be suitable for this, Neem is the only plant from which the bio-pesticides are commercially manufactured, found effective, eco-friendly and acceptable to the farmers. Neem pesticides are now increasingly used in India on crops like cotton, vegetables, fruit trees, coffee, tea, rice and spices.

If you are discovering Neem for the first time, here are some quick amazing Neem facts :

As if all this wasn’t amazing enough, the Neem is a hardy tree that requires almost no water and grows happily on wastelands.

Native to Indo-Burma region, neem is distributed throughout South and Southeast Asia, i.e. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. In addition neem is found in several other countries spread over continents. Neem now has become a global tree.

Neem was introduced to Africa earlier this century. It was brought from India. Now it is planted extensively in the tropical regions of Africa, particularly in the regions along the Sahara’s southern fringe.

Indentured labourers from India carried neem with them as a part of the India heritage to many countries to which they migrate such as Fiji, Mauritius and the Caribbean. The tree is now also well established in the Middle East and South America.

In recent times Neem has been introduced into Saudi Arabia, Yemen, China (Hainan Island), and Philippines. Small plantings of neem are also found in USA (South Florida and Hawaii), Brazil and Australia. This presence is, however, scattered and exploratory.