Light. Full sun.
Water. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil. Established trees are highly drought tolerant.
Soil and feeding. Tolerates sand, clay and loam, alkaline or acidic, as long as the soil drains well.
Size. Grows slowly to 15 ft or more. Old trees can reach 40–65 ft with a broad crown, so leave plenty of room.
Pruning. Train young trees to one central trunk with well-spaced main branches for a strong structure.
Problems to watch. No major pests or diseases. Falling pods can be messy on paving for a short time.
Good to know. Its branches resist wind, useful in hurricane-prone areas. It has low salt tolerance, so keep it back from the beach. Frost-tender, though one tree survived 26°F for several hours in West Palm Beach. Pods ripen from April through July.
Sources: UF/IFAS EDIS ST618: Tamarindus indica: Tamarind · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Tamarind
