Growing Neem, Sandalwood, Teak, and Rosewood in the U.S.: Climate Limitations

A gardener from Duluth, Georgia, originally from Karnataka, India, asked about growing neem, sandalwood, teak, and rosewood trees. Neem (Azadirachta indica) can only survive outdoors in southern Florida's tropical climate. The other three species require even warmer, more consistently humid conditions than Florida provides. None are viable in Georgia or most of the continental U.S.

These trees are adapted to true tropical or subtropical environments with no frost. For gardeners in cooler zones, they must be grown in heated greenhouses or as seasonal container plants brought indoors for winter. Their native range includes India, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa—climates far warmer than the southeastern U.S.