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Moringa oleifera
Moringaceae FAMILY

Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
4/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthFast

Horseradish tree succeeds in warm temperate to tropical areas and can be found at elevations from sea-level to about 1,000 metres[1]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 35°c, but can tolerate 7 - 48°c[2]. The plant is quite cold hardy and is not harmed by light frosts, but it can be killed back to ground level by a freeze. It quickly sends out new growth from the trunk when cut, or from the ground when frozen[1]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 700 - 2,200mm, but tolerates 400 - 2,600mm[2]. Easily grown in a well-drained soil in a sunny position, tolerating a wide range of soil types[3, 4]. It grows best on fertile and well drained sandy soil, clay or clay loam but is in general suitable for light, medium and heavy soils thoigh it will not withstand salinity. It has a special tolerance to shallow soil and is tolerant of low fertility[5]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 8.5[2]. Established plants are quite drought tolerant but yield much less foliage when continuously under water stress[1]. Grows better if given shelter from strong winds[2]. Moringa is an extremely fast-growing tree, and within 1- 3 months trees can reach 2.5 metres in height[1]. Growth rates of 3 - 4 metres per year is not unusual for young plants[6] Young trees raised from seed start flowering after 2 years. In trees grown from cuttings the first fruits may be expected 6 - 12 months after planting[6]. Flowering often precedes or coincides with the formation of new leaves, and can occur throughout the year in non-seasonal climates[6]. Constant pruning of up to 1.5 metres per year is suggested to obtain a thick-limbed and multibranched shrub[1]. It coppices and pollards well[1]. The sweet smelling flowers are produced throughout the year[5]. In the warmer parts of its range the plant can produce a second crop of seeds each year[2]. There is at least one named variety[7].

Propagation

Seed - can be sown either directly, in containers or in a nursery seedbed, preferably with around 50% shade. No seed pre-treatment is required and seeds sprout readily in 1 - 2 weeks. Plants can be ready for planting out within 3 months of germination. Plants raised from seed produce fruit of unpredictable quality[6, 1]. Germination rates for fresh seeds are around 80%, going down to about 50% after 12 months storage, but no seeds survive 2 years of storage[6]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood[3]. Easy[1]. Stem cuttings are usually preferred because they root easily[1]. Large limbs can be planted to make an instant living fence[4]. Branches 100 - 150cm in length, with a diameter of up to 4cm will root readily in just a few months[6]. Shield budding is successful, and budded trees begin to bear in 6 months and continue to give a good crop for 13 years[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Moringa+oleifera>

Pollinators

Bees, Sunbirds

References

  1. [1]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  2. [2]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. — Barwick. M. · Thames & Hudson, London · 2004 · ISBN 0-500-51181-0 ↩︎A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
  5. [5]Digital Compendium of Forestry Species of Cambodia — www.digitalspecies.blogspot.com; Phnom Penh · 2008 · http://www.digitalspecies.blogspot.com ↩︎A very detailed booklet, produced in PDF format on the internet, giving information on around 100 species of trees.
  6. [6]Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. — http://www.prota.org ↩︎An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
  7. [7]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
  8. [8]Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. — Bown. D. · Dorling Kindersley, London. · 1995 · ISBN 0-7513-020-31 ↩︎A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
  9. [9]Flora of Pakistan — http://www.efloras.org ↩︎As of 2006, there is not much information on habitats available, but it is being developed and promises to be an excellent resource.
  10. [10]Nuts. — Howes. F. N. · Faber · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
  11. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎