A handsome evergreen tropical tree originally from eastern Africa, now spread throughout the tropics. It produces tamarind fruit - fleshy pods yielding a tart to sweet pulp used to flavor curries, chutneys, sauces, preserves, and more. It grows to 70 feet tall and is productive for over 100 years. It fixes nitrogen in the soil and is widely adaptable. Not tolerant of freezing temperatures, this tree can be grown indoors as a tub plant in colder climates with pruning.