THE MORINGA TREE
By Dr. Martin L. Price
Published 1985; Revised 2000 by Kristin Davis
INTRODUCTION
 The moringa tree, Moringa
oleifera, has probably been the most popular plant in ECHO's seedbank of
underutilized tropical crops. The tree is native to India but has been planted
around the world and is naturalized in many locales. Moringa goes by many
names. In the Philippines, where the leaves of the moringa are cooked and
fed to babies it is called "mother's best friend" and "malunggay."
Other names for it include the benzolive tree (Haiti), horseradish tree
(Florida) and drumstick tree (India).
There are about 13 species
of moringa trees in the family Moringaceae. They are native to India, the
Red Sea area and/or parts of Africa including Madagascar. Moringa oleifera
is the most widely known species, but other species deserve further research
as to their uses. In this document, when we mention "moringa"
we are referring to M. oleifera. All other species we refer to using the
Latin name.
USES OF MORINGA
LEAVES
The leaflets can be
stripped from the feathery, fern-like leaves and used in any spinach recipe
and are exceptionally nutritious. Very young plants can also be used as
a tender vegetable. In many cultures the diet consists mainly of a starchy
dish or porridge made from corn meal, cassava, millet or the like. Side
dishes or "sauces" served with the starchy main dish are therefore
very important nutritionally, often being the only source of extra protein,
vitamins and minerals. Moringa leaves could easily be added to such sauces
as a potherb or as dried herbs.
Frank Martin states
in Survival and Subsistence in the Tropics that "among the leafy vegetables,
one stands out as particularly good, the horseradish tree. The leaves are
outstanding as a source of vitamin A and, when raw, vitamin C. They are
a good source of B vitamins and among the best plant sources of minerals.
The calcium content is very high for a plant. Phosphorous is low, as it
should be. The content of iron is very good (it is reportedly prescribed
for anemia in the Philippines). They are an excellent source of protein
and a very low source of fat and carbohydrates. Thus the leaves are one
of the best plant foods that can be found." In his Edible Leaves of
the Tropics he adds that the leaves are incomparable as a source of the
sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, which are often in
short supply.
Dennis Rempel in Burkina
Faso reported on seed ECHO had sent. "Folks loved the leaves. In fact
it is supposedly found locally, though I have yet to be shown any. They
say it is rare but highly prized to be added to sauces. Everyone wants more."
In Senegal and Haiti,
health workers have been treating malnutrition in small children and pregnant
and lactating women with moringa leaf powder. The results have been very
satisfactory (See below, as written in ECHO Development Notes (EDN) 64).
The Senegal project is written up in a book, Moringa oleifera: Natural Nutrition
for the Tropics by Lowell Fuglie and is available from ECHO. A video made
by Lowell Fuglie on the project is also available from ECHO.
An Impressive Moringa
Project in Senegal
Adapted by Martin Price from a Church World Service report by Lowell Fuglie
Lowell Fuglie with Church
World Service (CWS) in Senegal sent us a report on a recent CWS project
called Moringa oleifera: Natural Nutrition for the Tropics. ECHO and others
have published articles about the many uses, nutritional content and hardiness
of this drought-resistant "vegetable tree." This report contains
valuable technical information and adds an important human face by reporting
results of an evaluation of the project and interviews with people who have
benefited from it.
A Fresh Look at Nutrition
and Moringa
People have different
nutritional requirements at different stages of their lives. Lactating women
and weaned children ages 1-3 are especially vulnerable in areas where malnutrition
is commonplace. This report lists the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
for the major nutrients for children ages 1-3 and for lactating women and
compares this to the amount of these nutrients present in moringa pods,
moringa leaves and moringa leaf powder.
Here are highlights
from several tables. "For a child aged 1-3, a 100 g serving of fresh
cooked leaves would provide all his daily requirements of calcium, about
75% of his iron and half his protein needs, as well as important amounts
of potassium, B vitamins, copper and all the essential amino acids. As little
as 20 grams of leaves would provide a child with all the vitamins A and
C he needs."
"For pregnant and
breast-feeding women, moringa leaves and pods can do much to preserve the
mother's health and pass on strength to the fetus or nursing child. One
100 g portion of leaves could provide a woman with over a third of her daily
need of calcium and give her important quantities of iron, protein, copper,
sulfur and B-vitamins." 
Moringa leaves can be
easily dried (in the shade to reduce loss of vitamins) and rubbed over a
wire screen to make a powder, which can be stored and conveniently added
to soups, sauces, etc. "It is estimated that only 20-40% of vitamin
A will be retained if leaves are dried under direct sunlight, but that 50-70%
will be retained if leaves are dried in the shade." "One rounded
tablespoon (8 g) of leaf powder will satisfy about 14% of the protein, 40%
of the calcium, 23% of the iron and nearly all the vitamin A needs for a
child aged 1-3. Six rounded spoonfuls of leaf powder will satisfy nearly
all of a woman's daily iron and calcium needs during pregnancy and breast-feeding."
During pregnancy and
breast-feeding, women are most at risk of suffering from nutritional deficiencies.
The table below shows the percent of the RDA of various nutrients for a
nursing mother eating six rounded tablespoons (about 50 g) of leaf powder
daily. It also shows the percent of the RDA for a 1-3 year old child with
one rounded tablespoon of powder added to its food, three times daily.
Mother Child
Protein 21% 42%
Calcium 84% 125%
Magnesium 54% 61%
Potassium 22% 41%
Iron 94%
71%
Vitamin A 143% 272%
Vitamin C 9% 22%
How the Program Operated
Lowell says he first
became aware of the nutritional value of moringa from reading EDN. He did
not need to order seeds from our seedbank, however, because moringa already
grew wild in Senegal. It was seldom eaten, and much of the nutritional content
was lost when it was prepared due to the common practice of boiling the
leaves then discarding the water, as many as three times.
The project began in
early 1997. CWS partnered with a local NGO, Alternative Action for African
Development (AGADA). Together they trained a network of government health
workers (doctors, nurses, midwives) in ways of using moringa. Informational
booklets, brochures, a seminar and radio spots were put together.
An outside evaluation
of the project was conducted in December 1998. They interviewed 70 individuals.
Answers to the questions posed follow, based on their report.
Would moringa leaves,
leaf powder and pods be effective in treating malnutrition and promoting
physical health and well being? "Successful treatment of malnourished
children has been well-documented. Interviews with men and women who have
made moringa a regular part of their diets point out that they have a keen
awareness of improvements in their health and energy. At one health post,
the pharmacy is now selling moringa leaf powder to mothers with malnourished
children (US 5 cents per sachet). "
There is limited awareness
of nutrition and the importance of balanced diets. Would people see the
value of adding moringa to their foods as a purely nutritional measure?
"It is apparent that one does not need an education in nutrition to
know whether or not one is feeling healthy. People expressed every intention
of continuing to include moringa in their diets because of the sense of
physical well-being it gives them. In one village virtually every household
now maintains a stock of moringa leaf powder."
Would people be receptive
to changing the way they prepared fresh moringa leaves? "Traditionally
leaves are boiled 2-3 times and the water discarded after each boiling to
remove some of the bitter taste. However, some individuals claim they are
no longer discarding the water or boiling the leaves more than once. In
addition, making sauces with leaf powder instead of fresh leaves appears
to be quite popular because it saves time and is easy to use."
Would they be receptive
to adding new foods, such as moringa pods, to their diets? "This has
been surprisingly successful, since new foods are often very difficult to
introduce in West Africa. People interviewed have shown considerable inventiveness
when it comes to preparing moringa pods, seeds and flowers."
Would local consumption
remain dependent on outside encouragement and training, or could it develop
spontaneously? "Partly thanks to radio broadcasts about moringa, partly
through training provided local communities by some of the more dynamic
health agents, and partly through word-of-mouth and example, moringa and
its properties are gradually becoming known even outside the project's target
area. The project directly sponsored planting 10,000 trees in 1998, but
it is likely that a similar number were planted by individuals within the
region."
As I read through excerpts
from interviews I selected a few to share here. The supervisor of the primary
health department at a hospital said, "We have always had problems
with the classical approach to treating malnourished children. This was
based on industrial products: whole milk powder, vegetable oil and sugar.
All these things are expensive. When you tell a parent to go out and buy
themóthis can be truly costly for them."
A nurse in charge of
pediatrics at a hospital keeps dried leaf powder on hand to give out to
mothers of malnourished children.
An administrator at
another general hospital is a diabetic. "I have for the past three
years been controlling my blood sugar by periodically drinking a tea made
from moringa leaves." He decided to plant a thousand trees around the
hospital complex. "This way we will always have a ready supply of leaves
to treat the cases of malnutrition we receive." [Editor: We know nothing
about the value of moringa tea for diabetes. Have others heard of this?]
One of the mothers said,
"At first, when I tried to nurse my son, I was not producing enough
milk. Then I started to eat moringa. After a short while I had enough milk
again. We now eat moringa sauces at least three times a week. Every other
time I had a baby, I lost weight during the months I was breast-feeding.
This time I have been gaining weight."
Many adults mentioned
that they were no longer so tired. Some mentioned that they and their children
sleep better. One said that "After we boil the pods, we distribute
the water and drink it. It tastes sugary." There were some accounts
of children vomiting worms the first time they were fed moringa.
This 68-page book also
contains many recipes. There are many pictures of the people being interviewed,
which might be helpful in proposing a similar project to local leaders in
other countries.
The book is available
from ECHO in English or French for $9.95 (plus postage: North America $2;
airmail to Latin America $3 and elsewhere $5). You can write Lowell Fuglie
at Church World Service; 12 rue Felix Faure; B. P. 3822; Dakar, Senegal,
West Africa or e-mail at fuglie@sonatel.senet.net.
Moringa leaf powder is made by drying the leaves in the shade (drying
them in the sun will cause loss of vitamin A). The brittle dried leaves
are then pounded, and sifted to remove leaf stems. The powder should be
stored in a sealed dark container. Spoonfuls of the powder can then be
added to baby food, soups, and vegetables, adding nutrition but not changing
the taste.
Moringa leaves are not
always available throughout the whole year. M. stenopetala is deciduous
in some of its native range. In West Africa moringa leaves appear at the
end of the dry season, when there are few other sources of leafy green vegetables.
Leaf drop varies depending on climate and rainfall.
MORINGA OLEIFERA
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF LEAVES AND PODS
Analysis
of Moringa pods, fresh (raw) leaves and dried leaf powder have shown
them to contain the following per 100 grams of edible portion:
|
|
|
Pods
|
Leaves
|
Leaf
Powder
|
Moisture (%)
Calories
Protein (g)
Fat (g)
Carbohydrate (g)
Fiber (g)
Minerals (g)
Ca (mg)
Mg (mg)
P (mg)
K (mg)
Cu (mg)
Fe (mg)
S (mg)
Oxalic acid (mg)
Vitamin A - B carotene (mg)
Vitamin B -choline (mg)
Vitamin B1 -thiamin (mg)
Vitamin B2 -riboflavin (mg)
Vitamin B3 -nicotinic acid (mg)
Vitamin C -ascorbic acid (mg)
Vitamin E -tocopherol acetate (mg)
Arginine (g/16g N)
Histidine (g/16g N)
Lysine (g/16g N)
Tryptophan (g/16g N)
Phenylanaline (g/16g N)
Methionine (g/16g N)
Threonine (g/16g N)
Leucine (g/16g N)
Isoleucine (g/16g N)
Valine (g/16g N)
|
86.9
26
2.5
0.1
3.7
4.8
2.0
30
24
110
259
3.1
5.3
137
10
0.11
423
0.05
0.07
0.2
120
-
3.6
1.1
1.5
0.8
4.3
1.4
3.9
6.5
4.4
5.4
|
75.0
92
6.7
1.7
13.4
0.9
2.3
440
24
70
259
1.1
7
137
101
6.8
423
0.21
0.05
0.8
220
-
6.0
2.1
4.3
1.9
6.4
2.0
4.9
9.3
6.3
7.1
|
7.5
205
27.1
2.3
38.2
19.2
-
2,003
368
204
1,324
0.57
28.2
870
1.6%
16.3
-
2.64
20.5
8.2
17.3
113
1.33%
0.61%
1.32%
0.43%
1.39%
0.35%
1.19%
1.95%
0.83%
1.06%
|
From Moringa oleifera:
Natural Nutrition for the Tropics by Lowell Fuglie Proyecto Biomasa in
Nicaragua has studied moringa for over six years for its use in improving
soil fertility and plant growth as a foliar spray. For use as a green
manure, moringa is densely planted (10 x 10 cm or 4 x 4 in) and plowed
into the soil to a depth of 15 cm (6 in) after 25 days. Foliar sprays
are made from moringa leaf extract. See their web site at the end of this
document.
PODS
The young pods, also known as "drumsticks" by Indian communities,
are cooked and reportedly have a taste like asparagus. They are sold fresh
and canned in many Asian markets. Tinned drumsticks are exported from
India, Sri Lanka and Kenya to Europe and Asia. They are eaten much like
green beans. The green peas and surrounding white material can be removed
from larger pods and cooked in various ways.
FLOWERS
After about 8 months to a year, the tree begins to flower and continues
year round. The flowers can be eaten or used to make a tea. In Haiti tea
from the flowers is drunk for colds. The flowers provide good amounts
of both calcium and potassium. Moringa flowers are also good for beekeepers
since they provide a year-round source of nectar.
SEED
Seed can be extracted
and eaten as "peas" (boiled or fried) when still green.
The mature seed is
about 40% oil. Moringa oil is of excellent quality (73% oleic acid, similar
to olive oil) for cooking. Sold for many years as "ben oil,"
it is used in cooking, perfumes and as a watch lubrication. It became
a substitute for sperm oil. It is used for making soap and for light as
well. The oil is slow to become rancid. The species M. peregrina from
the Red Sea area reportedly produces a very good oil.
Oil can be extracted
from moringa seed in the home. Seed from mature pods (which can be two
feet long) are roasted, mashed and placed in boiling water for five minutes.
After straining and sitting overnight, the moringa oil floats to the surface.
Footsteps magazine (Issue 28) describes the oil extraction process:
Moringa seed has
a fairly soft kernel, so the oil can be extracted by hand using a screw
press (also known as a "spindle" or "bridge" press).
The seed is first crushed, 10% by volume of water is added, followed by
gentle heating over a low fire for 10-15 minutes, taking care not to burn
the seed. One such test yielded 2.6 litres of oil from 11 kg of kernels.
Once the best processing conditions are worked out, an extraction efficiency
of 65% could probably be expected.
The seedcake left
over after the oil extraction process has several uses. It can be used
as soil fertilizer or in the treatment of turbid water. It is being researched
as an animal feed, but certain antinutritional factors must be dealt with
before it is suitable for feeding livestock.
Seed powder from
ground-up seed and also the presscake left over from oil extraction can
both be used for the treatment of turbid water. Dr. Samia Al Azharia Jahn
with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)
in Germany told ECHO how to use moringa seeds to clarify water. Suspensions
of the ground seed of the benzolive tree are used as primary coagulants.
They can "clarify Nile water of any degree of visible turbidity."
At high turbidities their action was almost as fast as that of alum, but
at medium and low turbidities it was slower. The doses required did not
exceed 250 mg/l. Coagulating the solid matter in water so that it can
be easily removed can remove a good portion of the suspended bacteria.
"River water is always faecally polluted. At our sampling site the
total coliforms amounted during the flood season to 1600-18,000 per 100
ml. Turbidity reductions to 10 FTU were achieved after one hour, reducing
the coliforms to 1-200 per 100 ml." "Good clarification is obtained
if a small cloth bag filled with the powdered seeds of the benzolive is
swirled round in the turbid water."
To prepare the seed
for use as a coagulant, remove the seed coats and the "wings."
The white kernel is then crushed to a powder using a mortar or placing
in a cloth on top of a stone and crushing. Two heaping teaspoons or two
grams of the powder should be mixed with a small amount of clean water
in a bottle. The water and moringa kernel powder should be shaken for
five minutes to form a paste. This paste is then poured through a cloth
strainer into the water to be purified. The water is stirred rapidly for
two minutes, and then slowly for 10-15 minutes. Leave the bucket of water
undisturbed for at least an hour. Impurities will then sink to the bottom.
The water should be strained again into a storage container for use. This
process removes 90-99% of impurities. If there is a possibility of disease
in the water, it can be purified by chlorine, boiling or solarizing (placing
in the direct sun in a clear bottle for two hours).
According to Lowell
Fuglie, a general rule of thumb is that powder from one moringa kernel
to two liters of water is a good amount when water is slightly turbid,
and to one liter when water is very turbid. The seeds and powder can be
stored but the paste needs to be fresh for purifying the water.
WOOD
Moringa wood is very soft. It is advocated by some as a good live fence
tree though in ECHO's experience this has not proven so. It makes acceptable
firewood but poor charcoal. The bark is sometimes used to make mats and
rope. A blue dye is also made from the wood in Senegal and Jamaica.
ROOTS
Small trees a few months old can be pulled and the taproot ground, mixed
with vinegar and salt and used in place of horseradish. I am told that
when grown for its roots, the seeds are sometimes planted in a row like
vegetables. At about 60 cm (24 in) in height the tree is harvested. Make
sure the root bark is scraped off, as it contains two alkaloids and a
toxin, moringinine. Eating large amounts of the root at once or too often
should be avoided.
USE AS AN ANTIBIOTIC
A compound found in the flowers and roots of the moringa tree, pterygospermin,
has powerful antibiotic and fungicical effects. A study at University
of San Carlos in Guatemala was summarized in EDN 37 (Amaranth to Zai Holes
p. 298).
Herbal applications are commonly used to treat skin infections in developing
countries, although few investigations are conducted to validate scientifically
their popular use. A previous study had showed that moringa seeds are
effective against skin infecting bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa in vitro (i. e. in a test tube). This study showed that mice
infected with S. aureus recovered as quickly with a specially prepared
aqueous extract of moringa seed as with the antibiotic neomycin.This study
proves only the effectiveness of moringa as they prepared it. That preparation
could be done in any country, but not with just household utensils. It
was prepared by infusing 10 g powdered moringa seeds in 100 ml of 45°
C (96° F) water for 2 hours. The part that is a bit more complicated
is reducing the 100 ml down to 10 ml by placing it in a rotavaporator.
This is a very common piece of laboratory equipment that continually rotates
a flask containing the liquid. An aspirator producing a modest vacuum
is connected to the rotavaporator, reducing the pressure and causing the
water to evaporate rather quickly without boiling it. The ointment was
prepared by placing 10% of the extract in Vaseline. (We can send a copy
of the article to medical personnel).
Are you in a situation
where there is a shortage of antibiotics? This ointment could be prepared
for use in the local community anyplace where there is electricity and
running water. I would not be surprised if much simpler methods, better
suited to preparation as needed in the home, might not also be effective.
If you devise and test such preparations, please let ECHO know. CULTIVATION
Moringa grows best in the hot, semi-arid tropics. It is drought-tolerant
and grows with rainfalls of 250-1500 mm (10-60 in) per year. Altitudes
below 600 m (2000 ft) are best for the moringa; however, it grows up to
1200 m (4000 ft) in some tropical areas and has been recorded growing
at 2000 m (6000 ft). Moringa stenopetala in Ethiopia is found at altitudes
up to 1800 m (6600 ft) regularly.
In the sub-tropics,
moringa will tolerate light frosts. A freeze can kill a mature tree back
to the roots as it has our trees here at ECHO, but they are capable of
recovering. It quickly sends out new growth from the trunk when cut, or
from the ground when frozen. A good temperature range is 25-35º C
(77-95º F), although it can take up to 48º C (118 º F)
for limited amounts of time.
The moringa tree prefers well-drained sandy or loam soil. It will tolerate
a clay soil but not water logging. At ECHO it is set back when our water
table stays for long periods at an inch or two below the surface. It tolerates
a wide range of pH (5-9), and grows quite well in alkaline conditions
of up to a pH of 9. We have found that it responds well to mulch, water
and fertilizer.
Moringa is an extremely fast growing tree. It can reach up to 4 m (15
ft) in a year, reaching an eventual height of 6-15 m (20-50 ft). Roy Danforth
in Zaire wrote, "The trees grow more rapidly than papaya, with one
three-month old tree reaching 2.4 m (8 ft). I never knew there would be
such a tree." The tree in our organic garden grew to about 4 m (15
ft) in 9 months, and had been cut back several times to make it branch
out more. It is advisable to prune trees frequently to a shrub form, or
they will become lanky and difficult to harvest. If folks begin regularly
breaking off tender tips to cook when trees are about 1.3 m (4 or 5 ft)
tall, the trees become much bushier.
Those to whom we have
sent the tree in Africa have been pleased at its tolerance of dry weather.
Rob Van Os rated its growth, yield and potential as exceptional and added
that it "can be planted after the other crops, even near the end
of the rains." He has introduced it into several villages already.
The first plants grew so well for Gary Shepherd in Nepal that he had us
arrange for 1,000 of the large seeds. He reports that at five months one
was 3.6 m (12 ft) tall and most were 1.8 m (6 ft).
I quote Alicia Ray, who wrote a booklet on the benzolive in Haiti some
time ago.
It seems to thrive in impossible places -- even near the sea, in bad soil
and dry areas. Seeds sprout readily in one or two weeks. Alternatively
one can plant a branch and within a week or two it will have established
itself. It is often cut back year after year in fencerows and is not killed.
Because of this, in order to keep an abundant supply of leaves, flowers
and pods within easy reach, "topping out" is useful. At least
once a year one can cut the tree off 3 or 4 feet above the ground. It
will readily sprout again and all the valuable products will remain within
safe, easy reach.
Beth Mayhood with Grace Mountain Mission in Haiti wanted to establish
a model vegetable garden on a small piece of land. "It was windswept
and sunbaked with no natural barriers or trees in the area. Soils were
poor and very alkaline. The salt content was also high. We started in
January to prepare large quantities of compost. In April holes were dug
in the poor soil and filled with compost. Benzolive trees planted in seedbeds
germinated in 3-4 days. In 9 weeks they were transplanted in between the
garden beds, around the edge of the 60 x 75 m (200 x 250 ft) area and
in a double row about 1.5 m (5 ft) apart in the middle. The trees protected
against the prevailing winds." I saw slides of this spot later. It
was impressive. The light shade of the tree is a considerable help to
most vegetables.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to use pruning of some sort.
If left to itself, the tree becomes quite tall and lanky. This method
of cutting it back to 1.2 m (4 ft) each year sounds good. One method I
tried with some success was to cut each branch back a foot after it had
grown 0.6 m (2 ft) until it was a multibranched shrub. Alternatively,
normal harvesting can have the same effect if begun while the tree is
young. Beth Mayhood wrote, "We liked them so much we began picking
the growing tips to boil as a spinach several times a week. This picking
of the growing tips caused the tree to branch. Our constantly pruned trees
became thick-limbed and many-branched."
PROPAGATION
Moringa can be grown easily from seeds or cuttings. Seeds should be planted
2 cm or 1 in deep and should germinate within 1-2 weeks. Germination rates
are usually very good, but can drop to 0% after two years.
Cuttings 45-100 cm (18-40 in) long, 4-10 cm (2-4 in) wide should be taken
from the woody parts of the branches. It should be wood from the previous
year. They can be cured for three days in the shade and then planted in
a nursery or in the field.
OTHER SPECIES
M. stenopetala is native to Africa and as mentioned earlier, produces
larger seeds and leaves than M. oleifera. M. stenopetala leaves taste
similar to M. oleifera when cooked and milder if tasted raw. Below is
an excerpt on M. stenopetala from ECHO's book Amaranth to Zai Holes (p.
115).
MORINGA STENOPETALA. Moringa oleifera, native to India,
is the number one seed in our seedbank, in terms of number of requests
and positive reports. When we learned that a moringa native to Ethiopia
had larger edible leaves, more drought resistance, and larger seeds (important
for those using moringa to purify water), we were obviously interested.
Dr. Samia Jahn shared some seed with us in the past, but our supply is
very erratic; if you request seed (FOR
OVERSEAS NETWORK ONLY), be aware that you may have to wait
a while to receive the seed. If this is your first interest in moringa,
please do initial trials with M. oleifera. If you have had success with
M. oleifera, it may be time to try this "new" species.
Michael Madany wrote from Somalia of his comparison trial with seed received
from elsewhere a few years ago. "In spite of the initial rapid growth
of M. oleifera, in drier years the species has not done well without some
watering. The M. stenopetala, by contrast, has the lushest green foliage
and continued to grow during the exceptionally long dry season from last
August until this April. We began cooking leaves and young shoots in April
(taste of the two species very similar). We obviously aren't eating it
fast enough, since two large limbs have fallen under their own weight."
Freezes damaged our one M. stenopetala, forcing subsequent branching from
low on the trunk. Consequently, I have not seen a "normal" mature
tree. Dr. Jahn says that in the Sudan M. oleifera develops into a slender
tree, M. stenopetala into a round shrub-like tree. Before the first freeze,
however, a few important differences became clear. The trunk is considerably
thicker at the base, the tree seems more vigorous, the leaves are larger,
and if tasted raw the leaves are milder.
The more bushy M.
stenopetala can be planted as a wind break. "Seedlings were planted
in a windy corner at a spacing of 1 m. As soon as the upper branches of
the tree grew broader, they were cut and the trees responded by more profuse
growth of their lower branches, thus thickening the hedge. Vegetables
cultivated behind it profited from this protection."
M. stenopetala has
been grown as an ornamental in private gardens of Europeans in Kenya,
reaching 10-12 meters and their trunk diameter is at least 2-3 times as
thick as that of M. oleifera in Sudan. In Ethiopia it is cultivated as
high as 1800 meters (5400 feet), where people use ash as the main fertilizer.
By the end of a long dry season the trees may have lost their leaves.
ECHO's M. stenopetala
tree, over ten years old, has flowered but not yet produced seed. It has
been badly damaged by two freezes. Dr. Jahn cites reports that M. stenopetala
trees are not as quick to set flowers as M. oleifera. In Sudan the first
flowers appeared after 2 1/2 years, compared to 11 months for M. oleifera.
Charlie Forst in Haiti reported that his tree flowered in 15 months, grown
from a cutting, which may make the difference. In the central plateau
of Haiti, the low-branching, large-leafed M. stenopetala has far superior
growth in the dry season. It is in full leaf after months without rain,
while M. oleifera suffers after severe drought.
Michael Madany wrote
again, this time from Kenya. "Since I am quoted in EDN with regard
to our experience with Moringa stenopetala in southern Somalia, I'd like
to send a few more comments. The last time I saw the trees we planted
in February 1986 was January 1990. They had only flowered once (in 1987
or 1988; only a few flowers) and never set seed. Thus, whenever I wanted
to plant more, I was obliged to use cuttings. As far as a source of green
vegetable matter in the dry season, the tree surpasses its domestic relative
Moringa oleifera in that climate (bimodal rainfall of 400-800 mm; 20-40°
C). However, for the purpose of producing water-purifying seeds it seems
to be not so successful, at least in the first 5 years. I am mystified
as to the reasons for this. The provenance for our trees was over 500
km west at a considerably higher elevation." Michael mentions that
during the civil war in Somalia the project buildings were destroyed and
"all the trees in our garden were cut down."
Jay Ram wrote from
the Pacific Neem Mission in Hawaii. "My Moringa stenopetala tree
is now 10 feet tall and growing vigorously. I really share your enthusiasm
for this wonderful tree. It is one of the best species we have come across.
Fast growing with good form, and high palatability. In fact, I commonly
will eat the boiled leaves by themselves, [something I do not do with
Moringa oleifera which is common on the island]."
There is another interesting difference. The roots of M. oleifera are
used as a condiment similar to horseradish. With M. stenopetala it is
the bark that is so used.
Dr. Jahn reports on
work in the Sudan which shows that optimum light for germination of all
moringa species is half shade. When sown in the hotter weather of mid-April,
germination percentages for M. stenopetala and M. oleifera were only 54
and 40 percent, compared to 92 and 94 percent in half shade. During the
cool dry season there was little difference. Both moringa species can
be started from cuttings. However, trees grown from cuttings are known
to have much shorter roots. Where longer roots are an advantage for stabilization
or access to water, seedlings are clearly preferable.
ECHO does not have a regular source for M. stenopetala. Watch future EDNs
for availability, or write to be on our waiting list (send last date we
should send seed).
M. peregrina is another
moringa species with much potential for oil production. The starchy roots
are eaten. This species of moringa has wood that is good for firewood
and charcoal and also resists termites.
SEED SOURCES
ECHO can usually provide trial-sized quantities of Moringa oleifera
to those who are doing agricultural development work. For those seeking
other potential sources or large quantities, the following companies sell
moringa seed:
-
The Banana Tree, 715 Northampton St., Easton, PA, 18042; 610/253-9589;
-
Greenleaf Seeds, P.O. Box 98, Conway, MA 01341, USA, p: 413/628-4750
(No telephone orders)
-
Carter Seeds, 475 Mar Vista Dr., Vista, Ca, 92083; 760/ 724-5931;
-
Hurov's Seeds & Botanicals, P. O. Box 1596, Chula Vista, CA, 91912;
, 619/ 690-1741
-
Peter B. Dow & Co., P.O. Box 696, Gisborne 3800, New Zealand,
fax (079) 78 844
-
Ellison Horticultural PTY.Ltd., P.O. Box 365, Nowra, N.S.W. 2541 Australia
p: 6144-214255
-
Kumar International, Ajitmal 206121, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India.
-
Shivalik Seeds Corporation, 47, Panditwari, P. O. Prem Nagar, Dehra
Dun - 248007, U. P., India; tel. 91-135-683-348; fax 91-135-683-776;
E-mail: hilander@del2.vxnl.net.in
-
Samuel Ratnam, Inland & Foreign Trading Co., (Block 79A, Indus
Road #04-418/420, Singapore, Tel: 0316 p 2722711, fax: 2716118)
-
Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), P. O. Box 20412, Nairobi,
Kenya, Tel. (254) 154-32891; Fax (254) 154-32844.
-
Tanzania National Tree Seed Programme, P.O. Box 373, Morogoro, Tanzania;
Tel: (255)-56-3192 or (255)-56-3903; Fax: (255)-56-3275; E-mail: ntsp@twiga.com;
|
