Phyllanthus emblicaIndian Gooseberry

Phyllanthus emblica, the Indian Gooseberry or Amla, carries its tiny leaflets in close ranks along slender branchlets, so the whole crown reads as feathery even though the tree itself is substantial. It sheds the branchlets whole rather than leaf by leaf. Small greenish flowers along the shoots give way to round, pale green, ribbed fruit.

It is a genuine dryland tree, comfortable on rocky, poor and mildly saline ground, and it carries centuries of cultural weight in India, where the fruit is central to Ayurvedic practice.

Specifications

• Height8 to 15 metres
• Width5 to 8 metres
• Native toSouth and Southeast Asia and southern China
• FoliageSmall, narrow, closely set leaflets on slender branchlets giving a feathery texture; deciduous, shedding branchlets whole
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilTolerates poor, rocky, sandy and mildly saline soils; needs good drainage
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical, subtropical and semi-arid regions and tolerates high heat

Additional Features

• FlowersSmall greenish-yellow flowers clustered along the branchlets in spring
• FruitRound, pale green, ribbed fruit, exceptionally high in vitamin C
• UsesIdeal as a shade and fruiting tree for dryland planting, parks, edible landscapes and rural amenity schemes
• SpacingPlant 6 to 8 metres apart for orchard rows or open canopy cover
• Low MaintenanceMinimal pruning once the framework is set
• Pest ResistanceGenerally resilient
• Drought ToleranceHolds up on marginal water once the root system is established
• Cultural SignificanceA sacred tree in India and a mainstay of Ayurvedic practice

Indian Gooseberry gives a dryland scheme a shade canopy, a crop and a long cultural association from one tree.