In African countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia, moringa is promoted as the “miracle tree.”
And no wonder!
Every part of the Moringa can be used, from its seedlings to its seeds!
Moringa oleifera is native to northern India and now grows in many tropical and subtropical
areas of the world, including Africa, where some native species are being domesticated
and cultivated.
The products are marketed both internationally and at home.
In the Zambian copperbelt town of Ndola, for example, retired accountant Brown Kakumbi
started with a few plant cuttings and now makes a steady income selling a powder extract
made from dried, crushed leaves of the 25 moringa trees in his backyard garden.
Moringa is also making headway in Hawaii where it is known as Malungay, thanks to the important
Filipino community.
Spotting a Moringa tree by a front yard is a sure sign of a Filipino household.
Think of moringa as a superfood for the future: Seedlings can be eaten as salad greens.
Its leaves can be boiled and prepared like spinach or dried and crushed and sprinkled
on food.
The fragrant flowers can be steeped in boiling water for tea or eaten raw for a spicy radish-y
bite.
Bees and other insects pollinate them, and the flowers can produce a decent honey.
The immature pods resemble succulent string beans and are usually diced and added to curries.
The mature pods, often referred to as “drumsticks,” are used for pickles and curries.
Scientific studies have demonstrated that a powder made from crushed moringa seeds can
purify water.
Immature seeds can be boiled like peas or fried and have a peanut-like flavor.
Mature seeds taste terrible and shouldn’t be eaten, but their oil is used in ointment
and lamp fuel, and in enfleurage, the process of extracting fragrance from flowers.
While the pulverized roots are sometimes made into a condiment with a horseradish bite,
they can be toxic if not prepared correctly or are eaten in excess.
Moringa is a fast-growing, sun-loving and somewhat drought-tolerant plant that’s adaptable
to its environment and its uses, though it does better in well-drained soils.
In northern India, it’s often grown as an annual.
But in warmer tropical zones, it can grow to be a sizable tree.
In the U.S., it’s hardy in USDA zones 9 and 10.
As a cut mini-green crop it can be grown in the greenhouse or on raised beds seeded at
high density (2 inches apart with 5 inches between rows).
This technique can also work in intercropping among other longer-season crops such as peppers
or tomatoes.
Dwarf varieties selected in India can be grown as annuals pruned to 3 to 4 feet to promote
branching or as a perennial and cut back annually to 5 to 6 feet.
This type of cultivation is more adapted to the production of leaves and immature pods.
The flowers, mature pods and seeds are usually harvested from tall, mature moringa trees.
Baker Creek offers a unique, fast-growing dwarf strain selected and developed by Dr.
Avtar Singh at his Beauscape Farms in the Punjab region of Northern India.
Singh is passionate about Moringa and has dedicated much energy to promoting the plant
to farmers of Southeast Asia.
Try this incredibly versatile superfood in your garden!