Neem Leaves

Neem Leaves are the dried leaves of Azadirachta indica. They are matt olive-green, thin and brittle, and they smell sharply green and bitter, a little like strong green tea with a garlicky edge; brewed, they taste plainly bitter rather than fragrant.

Neem is also known as margosa, nim and Indian lilac. The compound leaves are made of narrow, serrated leaflets, and the dried leaf crumbles easily between the fingers, giving off a sharp, green and bitter scent. The leaves are traditionally used in South Asian homes in infusions, in craft and in skincare preparations. Store them away from damp so they stay crisp and dry.

The neem tree is known across the Indian subcontinent as the “village tree”, and its leaves have been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic tradition for millennia.

How to use it

Neem leaves go into facial masks, are infused into oils and blended into soaps as a traditional skincare botanical, and are brewed into teas as part of long-standing personal care routines in South Asian households. Technique tip: steep only briefly and blend with mint or sweeten the cup, because a long steep pushes the bitterness past what most people want to drink.

Details

Also known as

Neem Leaves, Indian Lilac Leaves, नीम के पत्ते, نیم کے پتے