Plant library · Green belt · Miyawaki forest
Amla
Amla is a hardy native fruit tree with feathery foliage and round, pale green fruit that ripens in winter. It grows on poor, dry and even mildly saline or alkaline soils where many fruit trees struggle, which makes it a useful orchard crop on marginal land. We plant it in farm orchards, in the middle rows of green belts and in the tree layer of Miyawaki forests. The fruit is used fresh, in pickles and preserves, and in Ayurveda.
Phyllanthus emblica · Amla · Aonla · Awla (Marathi) · Amlaki (Bengali) · Nellikai (Tamil, Kannada) · Usiri (Telugu) · Indian gooseberry
Size
Grafted trees 5–8 m tall and wide; seedling trees can reach 10–15 m
Growth
Moderate
Leaf
Deciduous
Sun
Full sun
Water
Regular watering for the first two to three years; mature trees tolerate drought but fruit better with irrigation from fruit set to harvest
Soil
Most well-drained soils, including light, gravelly and mildly saline or alkaline soils; avoid waterlogged ground
01
How to recognise Amla
Family Phyllanthaceae
- aLeaves are small and narrow, arranged in two neat rows along thin branchlets, so each branchlet looks like a single feathery compound leaf.
- bBranchlets with leaves are shed together in the dry season, leaving the tree bare for a short time.
- cFlowers are tiny and greenish-yellow, clustered along the branchlets in spring as new leaves appear.
- dFruit is round, 2–5 cm across depending on variety, pale green to yellowish, with six faint vertical lines, ripening from about November to February.
- eBark is grey and flakes off in thin patches, showing lighter bark underneath.
- fOften confused with the star gooseberry or harfarauri (Phyllanthus acidus), whose fruit is small, pale and deeply ribbed and borne in dense clusters on the trunk and older branches.
02
Amla in your city
How it grows in each city we work in, and what we do differently there.
Suited to the Pune region and widely grown on farms around it. Irrigate through the dry months after the monsoon while the fruit develops.
Amla is grown commercially across north India and handles Delhi's heat. Young grafts can be damaged by frost in December–January, so cover them in the first winters.
Suits the Malwa plateau. On black cotton soil we plant on raised beds with added murrum so roots do not stay wet through the monsoon.
Grows, but frost can scorch young plants and damage developing fruit. Choose a sunny, sheltered site and protect young trees in December–January.
Grows, but the long heavy monsoon and humid coast are less suited than inland areas, and fruiting is usually lighter. Keep it away from direct salt spray.
Grows and fruits in the Bangalore climate. Grafted plants suit farmhouse and campus orchards around the city.
Handles the hot, dry Deccan climate well. Drip irrigation from fruit set to harvest improves fruit size.
Tolerates the 45°C summers and the region's mildly saline soils once established. Irrigate young trees through summer.
Grows, but plant on raised mounds so roots are not waterlogged in the monsoon. Good drainage matters more than feeding here.
03
Amla for industrial green belts
Where it goes in a three-row belt
Boundary side ← → factory side. This plant: middle row.
Amla is a native, hardy tree that tolerates dry, poor and mildly saline soils, and it is commonly used in green-belt plans alongside other native trees. Its dense branching and small leaves help filter dust, and it stays at a moderate height.
We place it in the middle row, between the tall outer trees and the inner shrubs. It is deciduous for a short period in the dry season, so we pair it with evergreen species in the same row. Where the fruit will be harvested, we keep it away from roadside dust and exhaust sources.
The species mix, belt width and planting density that apply to a site are the ones set out in the unit's own consent to establish, consent to operate or environmental clearance.
04
Where it fits
- Farm orchards and boundary rows, especially on poor or dry land.
- Middle row of a green belt, where it adds a productive native tree.
- Tree layer of a Miyawaki forest, below the canopy species.
- Farmhouse and campus kitchen-garden corners with one or two grafted trees.
05
Care
- Plant grafted trees of named varieties for earlier and more reliable fruiting; seedling trees take longer and vary in fruit quality.
- Plant at least two different varieties together, as fruit set is usually better with cross-pollination.
- Water regularly for the first three years; on mature trees, irrigate from fruit set through to harvest in dry regions.
- Prune in the early years to build an open framework on a single trunk; later remove dead, crossing and crowded branches after harvest.
- Apply compost or manure around the drip line before the monsoon, following a soil test for larger orchards.
06
Common problems
- Bark-eating caterpillar — webbed frass and tunnels on the bark and at branch forks; remove the webbing, clean the tunnel and treat it, and check trees regularly.
- Fruit necrosis — brown, corky patches inside the fruit, linked to boron deficiency in some varieties; get a soil or leaf test and apply boron as advised.
- Rust — brown to black pustules on leaves and fruit in humid weather; remove affected material and use a fungicide recommended by the local agriculture office if it spreads.
- Fruit drop — heavy fruit fall soon after set or in dry spells; keep watering steady through fruit development and avoid water stress.
07
Questions
How long does an amla tree take to bear fruit?
Grafted plants usually start bearing in about three to five years. Seedling trees take longer and the fruit varies from tree to tree.
Which amla varieties are grown in India?
Named varieties such as Banarasi, Chakaiya, Krishna, Kanchan and NA-7 are commonly grown. Local nurseries and the state agriculture department can advise which suits your area.
Can amla grow in a large pot on a terrace?
It can survive in a very large container, but it is a tree and fruits best in the ground. For terraces, a grafted plant in a large, well-drained container is the practical option.
When is amla harvested?
Usually from about November to February, depending on variety and region. Fruit is picked when it turns pale and slightly translucent.
Begin with a visit
Request a proposal
Tell us about the space, or send photos on WhatsApp. We send a written proposal with a fixed price.
hi@gardenandacre.com