I need step-by-step detailed instructions on how to grow Murraya koenigii, a tropical Southeast Asian herbal plant.
Murraya koenigii now goes by the name Bergera koenigii, but older resources still refer to it as Murraya.
According to an article by Jekka McVicar in Gardens Illustrated, no. 132(2007), p. 17, Murraya koenigii is a tender shrub or small tree best grown in a container (unless you are in a tropical or subtropical climate). “Use a soil-based potting compost mixed in equal parts with horticultural grit. Place the container in partial shade. Water daily and weekly throughout the growing season. As the plant grows, keep trimming it regularly to maintain a supply of young leaves for cooking. Protect during winter and water sparingly. Reintroduce water and feed as soon as the light levels and temperatures increase in the spring and move the plant to a warm light place.”
If you wish to propagate it from seed, “sow fresh ripe seed in autumn into modules using a seed compost mixed in equal parts with perlite. Cover seeds with perlite and pit in a warm place or propagator at 20 degrees Celsius [68 Fahrenheit]. Germination is erratic but usually takes two to four months.”
If you plan to cook with curry leaf, you can use Murraya leaves fresh, toasted, dried, powdered, or frozen. Gernot Katzer’s Spice Pages will provide additional information.
For more about the food, medicinal, and ornamental uses of this plant, see Susanna Lyle’s Discovering Vegetables, Herbs & Spices (Csiro Publishing, 2009). As with the article cited above, she suggests growing Murraya in a container which can be protected over the winter in colder climates. It can be trimmed to size (and is occasionally used as a hedge in warmer climates), has fragrant flowers, and attractive edible fruit.