Bergera koenigii, commonly known as the curry tree, is a small, aromatic tree in the Rutaceae family. The name Bergera honors the 18th-century Swedish physician and botanist Christian von Bergera, while koenigii commemorates Johann Gerhard König, a German botanist and physician who worked in India. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and widely cultivated across South and Southeast Asia. The name "curry leaf" derives from the Tamil word kari (meaning sauce or relish) and reflects the plant’s central role in South Indian cuisine. Leaves, fruits, bark, and roots of the tree have been employed in food and medicine since antiquity.

Historically, curry leaves were used in Ayurvedic medicine as a remedy for digestive issues, diabetes, and inflammation. In classical Indian gastronomy, leaves were incorporated fresh into tempering (tadka) for curries, dals, and rice dishes, lending a distinct citrusy, nutty aroma. During the colonial era, curry leaves spread to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and eventually Africa and the Caribbean, carried along with Indian labor and trade routes. In modern times, curry leaves remain a cornerstone of South Indian and Sri Lankan cooking, appearing in dishes such as rasam, sambar, upma, and chutneys. They are also used in Burmese and Thai cuisines and are gaining popularity in global fusion cooking. Beyond culinary uses, curry leaves are still valued in folk and modern phytomedicine for their antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective properties, and their extracts are studied for nutraceutical potential.