🌳 Tree
ANX-TREE-0000003
Moringa
Moringa oleifera
Moringa (Moringa oleifera), a fruit, fodder, medicinal, nutrition tree of the Moringaceae family.
- Family
- Moringaceae
- Tree type
- Fruit, Fodder, Medicinal, Nutrition
- Mature height (m)
- 5-12
- Growth rate
- Very fast
- Lifespan (years)
- 20-30
- Native region
- Indian subcontinent, now cultivated pantropically.
Environment
Growing Conditions
- Climate requirements
- Tropical to subtropical; thrives in hot, semi-arid to sub-humid climates.
- Soil types
- Well-drained sandy or loamy soils; does not tolerate waterlogging.
- Water requirements
- Drought-tolerant once established, though regular watering increases leaf/pod yield.
Cultivation
Planting & Care
- Planting guide
- Grown from seed or stem cuttings; can be planted as a hedge, intercrop, or standard tree, and can be harvested as a leafy vegetable within months of planting.
- Care guide
- Responds well to regular pruning/coppicing, which encourages leafy growth for harvest and keeps the tree at a manageable height.
Phenology
Flowering & Fruiting
- Flowering season
- Cream-white fragrant flowers, can flower multiple times a year in favourable climates
- Fruiting season
- Long, ridged seed pods ('drumsticks'), typically 2-3 months after flowering
Value
Uses & Economic Importance
- Uses
- Highly nutritious leaves (used fresh, dried, or as powder), edible immature pods ('drumsticks'), seed oil, and traditional medicinal uses.
- Economic importance
- Widely promoted as a nutrition-security crop due to exceptionally high vitamin, mineral, and protein content in its leaves.
Trade
Marketplace
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