Moringa oleifera Lam.
Vernacular name: Drumstick tree, Horseradish tree, Sahjan (Hindi: सहजन)
Species Name: Moringa oleifera Lam.
Family: Moringaceae
Habit: Fast-growing deciduous tree.
Stem: Slender, soft-wooded, 8–12 m tall, with white-grey corky bark; gum-producing.
Leaf: Tripinnate, spirally arranged, 30–60 cm long; leaflets 1–2 cm, obovate, glossy green.
Flowering: Year-round in the tropics.
Flowers: Panicles, 10–40 cm long; 5 greenish-white sepals (10–13 mm, linear), 5 white petals (20–25 mm, linear-oblong), 5 stamens (anthers reniform), 5 staminodes, superior 3-locular ovary with 3 white styles.
Fruit: Pendant pods, 20–50 × 1.5–2.5 cm, triangular, beaked, with 3 winged valves containing 100–200 winged seeds.
Uses:
- The Leaves, seeds and pods are nutritious (vitamin A/C, protein, iron)
- We can get water purification coagulant from seeds.
- All parts medicinal: anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant properties; roots toxic in excess.
- Called “Miracle tree”/”Mother’s best friend”; ancient Egyptian/Indian cure-all; malnutrition remedy.
