Azadirachta indica - Neem tree... should i plant it or not?

[Luisport]

I read that dispite the great qualities this species can have, it can be too disruptive to some biotipes. I read it can kill insects and even fauna, flora and birds! This article is an alert about it: http://www.painelflorestal.com.br/noticias/ceara-ambientalistas-se-movimentam-e-alertam-contra-cultivo-do-nim-indiano Any thoughts? Thank's!

[Saltcayman]

I have a couple and have not noticed any ill effects. Beautiful tree , drought tolerant and great wind break

[Luisport]

I have a couple and have not noticed any ill effects. Beautiful tree , drought tolerant and great wind break

That's good to know... you eat the fruits? Any side effects? Thank's!

[Luisport]

But i think it will not stand our winter with -1C to -3C...

[WGphil]

Great for fleas on dogs, will kill cats. 

[Luisport]

Great for fleas on dogs, will kill cats.

Well it don't look very safe... i will not to risk.

[WGphil]

There are many plants that are a risk to pets.  If you have dogs and flea problems, it might be what you need.

[Luisport]

There are many plants that are a risk to pets.  If you have dogs and flea problems, it might be what you need.

Well maby, but i have fear to disrupt some nature equilibrium here...

[Tropheus76]

You are human and you live there, thus the equilibrium went out the window a while back. I would say go for it. I wish my area was warm enough to have them.

[Luisport]

You are human and you live there, thus the equilibrium went out the window a while back. I would say go for it. I wish my area was warm enough to have them.

Hi! Well my area is 9b too... maby it ca't stand our winter...

[carcarlo]

Hi, Luisport, I have a Neem tree here in Tampa and my Neighbor has one too,it has stood Two years of Winter down to 32 Degrees,it is also a beautiful tree. I also have not notice anything disruptive about it, Snails won't touch it no Whiteflies on it or Red Spider Mites. I have been using Neem Oil  & Neem Triple action for years and it works for me, I love the way it smells. As far as making my own oil from my seeds I DON'T THINK SO. Last year I was going to Import 1600 quarts ( 4 pallets) of Neem oil from India but I drop plans because of all of the red tape here in the States and the Tariff imposed by  the Port .
 Neem oil is a great natural insect repellent it disrupts it breeding sycles as far as I'm concerned, but it can not be Imported into the U.S. as a pesticide, only as a cosmetic leaf shiner.
Carlos O

[Luisport]

Hi, Luisport, I have a Neem tree here in Tampa and my Neighbor has one too,it has stood Two years of Winter down to 32 Degrees,it is also a beautiful tree. I also have not notice anything disruptive about it, Snails won't touch it no Whiteflies on it or Red Spider Mites. I have been using Neem Oil  & Neem Triple action for years and it works for me, I love the way it smells. As far as making my own oil from my seeds I DON'T THINK SO. Last year I was going to Import 1600 quarts ( 4 pallets) of Neem oil from India but I drop plans because of all of the red tape here in the States and the Tariff imposed by  the Port .
 Neem oil is a great natural insect repellent it disrupts it breeding sycles as far as I'm concerned, but it can not be Imported into the U.S. as a pesticide, only as a cosmetic leaf shiner.
Carlos O

Thank's a lot for your post. It give me courage to go ahead. But i didn't understand why you don't make your neem oil...

[carcarlo]

Hi luis It is easier to buy it than to make it, besides my tree is not yet producing seeds, but it is growing like a weed.
Sorry for the sideway pics. but is a hassle to upload pics. here for some reason, I just wanted people to see how beautiful the tree is.
Carlos

[Luisport]

Yes it's very beautifull!  I read people can heat the leaves and fruits... do you try to eat the leaves? Thank's!

[carcarlo]

Lus I have never thought about that,even though I have done crazier stuff, I figure if it kills bugs It might kill  me.
Carlos

[Luisport]

Lus I have never thought about that,even though I have done crazier stuff, I figure if it kills bugs It might kill  me.
Carlos

There are this site that explains a lot about neem tree: http://www.discoverneem.com/

[barath]

Has anyone in Southern California in frost-free areas tried growing Neem -- and if so, how has it done (especially regarding its water needs)?  I know it's sort of borderline, but I figure if it's growing in Tampa it should do fine in Southern California.

[Luisport]

Has anyone in Southern California in frost-free areas tried growing Neem -- and if so, how has it done (especially regarding its water needs)?  I know it's sort of borderline, but I figure if it's growing in Tampa it should do fine in Southern California.

Water:

An ample supply of water is good when growing neem trees, but the tree can make do with very little.

The areas where neem trees grow naturally receive between 450 and 1200 mm of rain per year, but neem has been planted in drier regions as well. There are neem trees growing in areas that receive as little as 200 mm annual rain.

The one single thing that neem trees can't handle are soggy, waterlogged soils. The plant roots need to breathe, so don't try growing neem trees in swamps. http://www.discoverneem.com/growing-neem-trees.html

[Luisport]

and i think here is too cold for it...

[Mike T]

They go feral here and are hard to control as they produce so many seeds and are a big tree.

[Raulglezruiz]

Yes it's very beautifull!  I read people can heat the leaves and fruits... do you try to eat the leaves? Thank's!

Luis the second worst bitter thing I have ever tried is chewing langsat leaves trying to see the difference between langsat and Duku they say langsat is way bitter! And guess the number one bitter one! Yes neem! i read that the indians use as a toothpaste after meals; well I did it with only a couple little leaves and is super bitter;, the fruit is super small and I don't know if is edible,but the seeds I know are poison, however is a nice tree that grows on its own with no attention; I have in a slope it resist the 6 month dry season; I want to try putting some leaves in olive oil let it there for a while qnd then use it as skin mosquito repelent,is the same thing I do with alcanfor pulverized pills instrad of using the quimical comerzial repellents...

[Luisport]

Yes it's very beautifull!  I read people can heat the leaves and fruits... do you try to eat the leaves? Thank's!

Luis the second worst bitter thing I have ever tried is chewing langsat leaves trying to see the difference between langsat and Duku they say langsat is way bitter! And guess the number one bitter one! Yes neem! i read that the indians use as a toothpaste after meals; well I did it with only a couple little leaves and is super bitter;, the fruit is super small and I don't know if is edible,but the seeds I know are poison, however is a nice tree that grows on its own with no attention; I have in a slope it resist the 6 month dry season; I want to try putting some leaves in olive oil let it there for a while qnd then use it as skin mosquito repelent,is the same thing I do with alcanfor pulverized pills instrad of using the quimical comerzial repellents...

Thank you my friend, yes it seams a great tree if properly used, but here it's too cold it seams... 

[Mike T]

The foliage is edible and young shoots are cooked by people around here and used also in jungle soup concoctions by some Asian groups. I chopped one down in my yard and it is growing back from the stump. Many insects laugh at crushed seeds and foliage sprays especially leaf eating insects but others are not fans of neem.It is pretty mild.
Langsat seeds are pretty ordinary alright but duku-langsat and longkong seeds are not far behind in the unpalatability stakes.

[buddyguygreen]

Was looking through some fertilizer products and one was a by product of neem seeds, so im guessing they are great for potassium supplementation http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VJN96LG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER. My neem tree is about 6 feet tall, cant wait till it starts fruiting. I use neem toothpaste that works great and i spray neem for bug control that also works great. I would just plant it and see what happens, what else can you do with it. If it gets too cold chop it to a few feet above the ground and cover it.