Neem oil, one of nature’s best ways to deal with problem insects, is pressed from the neem fruit seeds and bark of an evergreen tree (Azadirachta indica). The cold-pressed is best for organic gardening purposes. Neem is best known as an organic method for controlling insect pests. The compounds contained in the oil work in many ways against many insects, interfering with their reproductive cycles, inhibiting their feeding, serving as a repellent, and, with some pests, as a contact-insecticide that kills them outright. Neem oil, applied as a foliar spray prevents fungus and other leaf diseases. It’s particularly effective against spider mites, indoors and out.

The neem oil has a strong, pungent aroma and an extremely bitter taste and it provides natural pesticidal properties The neem oil is a feeding inhibitor, delaying development and growth, reducing fecundity and fertility, changing behavior and causing anomalies in eggs, larvae, and adults of insects or mites Neem oil has other broad effects on insects: It helps alter development, inhibits feeding, hinders reproduction and suppresses the fertility of pests. Pollinator insects, such as bees, are not likely to be harmed by neem oil since it must be ingested in order for it to take effect. It’s also non-toxic to birds and other plants.

The tree’s oil, known in Sanskrit as Sarva Roga Nirvani or “cure of all ailments,” has a long history of skin-care and medicinal uses. Because of its nourishing, acne-fighting qualities, it’s often found in specialty soaps and other modern skin products.