Herb · Rutaceae
When to plant curry leaves
A small subtropical tree whose leaves have no dried equivalent worth using. Almost always grown in a container outside the tropics.
First worthwhile crop
Year 2
After planting, not after sowing.
Hardy in USDA zones
9b to 11a
Winter cold sets the limit here, not the calendar.
Frost tolerance
Tender
How much cold the plant itself will take.
Those weeks become real dates once you name a place.
Timing, in frost-relative terms
Nothing about a standing crop is sown to a calendar. Once planted, curry leaves stay in the ground for years, so the question is not when to sow but whether your winter is survivable and your planting window is open. Both answers come from your frost dates.
- Expect a first worthwhile crop in year 2 after planting.
- Hardy in USDA zones 9b–11a.
Frost tolerance
Damaged below about -1C and killed by a real frost. Container plants must come inside before the first one.
Classified as tender, with damage expected below -2°C (28.4°F)28.4°F (-2°C).