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Botanical Name
Azadirachta indica

Neem

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Details

Neem, Azadirachta indica, is a fast-growing evergreen tree of the mahogany family, also called margosa, nimtree or Indian lilac. It reaches 15 to 20 metres and is native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of South-East Asia, though it is naturalised in tropical areas worldwide. Its fruits and seeds are the source of neem oil, and the seeds contain azadirachtin, an insect antifeedant and insecticide. The page says dried leaves are kept in cupboards and grain stores to keep insects away, and twigs are used as teeth-cleaning sticks. The tender shoots and flowers are eaten as a vegetable in India, and the flowers are used in festivals such as Ugadi. Products from the tree have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, but there is insufficient clinical evidence of any benefit. The page warns that neem oil is toxic and can lead to death in small children. It is a declared weed in the Northern Territory of Australia, where buying or moving it is illegal.

Caution

Neem oil is toxic in small children and can lead to death. Neem may also cause miscarriages, infertility and low blood sugar.

References

#1#2#3#4

Correspondences

Elements
No elements recorded.
Celestial Bodies
No celestial bodies recorded.
Zodiac Signs
No zodiac signs recorded.
Colours
White
Deities
No deities recorded.

Folk Names

  • Indian Lilac
  • Margosa
  • Nim
  • Nimtree

Categories

  • Luck
  • Protection
  • Purification
  • Warding

Substitutes

No substitutes recorded.

Forms

Flower

References

#5

Leaf

References

#6

Oil

References

#7

Seed

References

#8

References

Notes

  1. Aulakh and Tapan, "Plants associated with witchcraft," pp. 58-60, paragraph on neem leaves.
  2. Devi and Suresh, "Magico-religious plants of Sarkaghat," annotated table, eth-mr-87; Discussion.
  3. Thurston, Omens and Superstitions, Chapter I, Omens (printed pp. 13-72); Chapter XI, Some Agricultural Ceremonies (printed pp. 289-304).
  4. Wikipedia, under "Azadirachta indica," lead; Uses; Safety; taxobox.
  5. Wikipedia, under "Azadirachta indica."
  6. Wikipedia, under "Azadirachta indica."
  7. Wikipedia, under "Azadirachta indica."
  8. Wikipedia, under "Azadirachta indica."

Bibliography

  • Aulakh, Gian Singh; Mukerjee, Tapan. "Plants associated with witchcraft and evil eye." Ancient Science of Life 4(1), pp. 58-60, 1984. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://wisdomlib.org/uploads/journals/ansci/v-4-1-1-74-jul-sep-1984/1387683.pdf. Open the Source1
  • Devi, Arti; Kumar, Suresh. "Magico-religious plants of Sarkaghat tehsil in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh (India): An ethnobotanical perspective from the north-western Himalaya." Ethnobotany Research and Applications 35 (2026-08-23). Accessed October 29, 2026. https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/8549. Open the Source2
  • Thurston, Edgar. Omens and Superstitions of Southern India. T. Fisher Unwin, 1912. Accessed October 29, 2026. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35690. (Project Gutenberg e-text 35690. The e-text carries no page numbers, so locators give the chapter and its printed page range from the contents list.) Open the Source3
  • Wikipedia, under "Azadirachta indica." Accessed October 29, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Azadirachta_indica&oldid=1369036903. Open the Source45678