Curry Plant

How to sow curry plant: Root cuttings, stem cuttings, or direct seed

Sun requirement for curry plant: Plant in Full Sun

The Curry Plant, or Helichrysum italicum, is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae family that is grown for culinary, ornamental, medicinal, and decorative purposes. It is a tender perennial native to the Mediterranean that thrives in dry, rocky, and sandy ground. In colder regions, it can be grown as an annual or in containers. Curry Plant prefers an arid climate and is drought-tolerant once established. It has silvery, gray-green stems and leaves that are woody at the base, and clusters of yellow flowers. It looks like a cross between lavender and rosemary. The flowers are often used in dried floral arrangements because they retain their color after drying. Despite it's name, the Curry Plant is not related to the Curry Tree (Murraya koenigii), and is not used to make curry. To some people, it's leaves smell like curry powder; to others, it smells like maple syrup. The young shoots and leaves have a resinous, bitter taste similar to sage or wormwood and can be added to dishes to impart their subtle flavor and removed before serving. Oil from the plant's blossoms has a variety of medicinal and cosmetic uses because it is anti-inflammatory, fungicidal, and astringent.