Phyllanthus Emblica, Amla - 0.5 kg Seeds

Amla or Indian Gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) is a small to medium deciduous tree celebrated across India for its translucent, pale-green fruits, among the richest natural sources of vitamin C. The feathery foliage and pale bark make it attractive, but the tree is grown above all for its fruit, a cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine (a key ingredient of Triphala and Chyawanprash) and used in pickles, preserves, juices and hair oils.

Hardy and undemanding, it grows throughout the plains and lower hills of India, tolerating heat, drought and poor or marginal soils. The wood serves as fuel, the bark and leaves yield tannin and dye, and the tree is widely planted in farm forestry, home gardens and wastelands.

• Family: Phyllanthaceae
• Native region: Indian subcontinent and tropical Southeast Asia
• Mature height: 8-18 m
• Growth rate: Moderate

Extract the hard seeds from sun-dried ripe fruits and soak them in water for 24 hours before sowing. Sow about 1-2 cm deep in well-drained nursery soil kept warm and moist; germination typically takes 2-3 weeks. Raise seedlings in bags for a few months and transplant at the start of the rains; note that grafting is used for superior fruiting varieties.