Native Neem

Neem is Azadirachta indica, a tree native to the Indian subcontinent and used there for centuries across household, garden and personal care.

Three parts of it end up in this range. The seed is pressed for oil, the leaf is dried and milled into a powder, and the seed cake left after the oil is pressed becomes granules for the soil.

Native Neem is a New Zealand brand set up in 2017 by the family behind Green Trading, who started on a market stall in Titirangi Village, West Auckland, in 2012.

Green Trading covers the wider Ayurvedic and organic range. Native Neem was split out to do one plant properly, across people, pets and plants.

It depends what you are doing with it. The oil is pressed from the seed and is the concentrated form, used in the garden and as the base of the body and pet products. The leaf powder is the milled dried leaf, traditionally mixed into pastes or taken as a tea.

The granules are the seed cake left after the oil is pressed, and they go into the soil rather than onto the plant. They are sold in 500g through to 20kg for larger gardens and orchards.

Yes, the range is BioGro certified organic, which is New Zealand's main organic certifier.

The oil is cold pressed without heat, solvents or chemicals. That matters for more than purity: many commercial neem oils are solvent extracted, and solvent extraction rules out organic certification.

The pet and body care range is made in New Zealand. The rest is either manufactured using traditional Indian methods or sourced from certified organic farms in India, then quality checked to meet New Zealand and Australian safety standards.

Native Neem describe their organic neem oil as non-toxic to humans, birds, earthworms and animals when used as directed, and safe for honey bees and other beneficial insects. That is the main reason people reach for it instead of a synthetic spray.

Use the right product for the job, though. The garden insecticide and the raw oil are made for plants, and the pet range is separately formulated for animals. If you want to use anything from this range on a pet or on skin, ask us first rather than reaching for the garden concentrate.

Not instantly, and that is by design. Neem has no knockdown effect. Insects stop feeding almost immediately after application, but visible results usually take two to five days.

Native Neem suggest spraying every 7 to 10 days depending on how heavy the pest pressure is, and starting early rather than waiting for an infestation. Always follow the label for the product you have, including anything it says about edible crops.

Yes, and it is a full line rather than an afterthought: pet shampoo, pet spray, two pet soap bars, pet tooth powder, paw balm and a pet sunscreen. The pet and body care range is the part made in New Zealand.

If your animal is on medication or has a skin condition being treated by a vet, check with them before adding anything new.

In a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, and sealed tightly once opened, which matters most for the oil.

Neem oil thickens and can solidify when it gets cold. That is normal. Stand the bottle in warm water and it will pour again.