Digital Garden

Moringa oleifera

Drumstick 

Scientific Name- Moringa oleifera 

Common name- Drumstick 

Family- Moringaceae 

Habit Type- Tree 

Habitat- M. oleifera is a fast-growing, deciduous tree that can reach a height of 10–12 meters (33–39 feet) and trunk diameter of 45 centimeters (18 inches). 

Leaves 

The tree has an open crown of drooping, fragile branches, and the leaves build up a feathery foliage of tripinnate leaves. 

Bark 

The bark has a whitish-gray color and is surrounded by thick cork. Young shoots have purplish or greenish-white, hairy bark 

Flowering and Fruiting Time: Flowering begins within the first six months after planting. In seasonally cool regions, flowering only occurs once a year in late Spring and early Summer (northern hemisphere between April and June, southern hemisphere between October and December). In more constant seasonal temperatures and with constant rainfall, flowering can happen twice or even all year-round. 

Flower 

The flowers are fragrant and hermaphroditic, surrounded by five unequal, thinly veiled, yellowish-white petals. The flowers are about 1–1.5 cm (3⁄8–5⁄8 in) long and 2 cm (3⁄4 in) broad. They grow on slender, hairy stalks in spreading or drooping flower clusters, which have a length of 10–25 cm (4–10 in). 

Fruit 

Fruit is a hanging, three-sided brown 20–45 cm (8–171⁄2 in) capsule, which holds dark brown, globular seeds with a diameter around 1 cm. 

FACTS & MEDICINAL USES 

Moringa is taken by mouth for "tired blood" (anemia), arthritis and other joint pain (rheumatism), asthma, cancer, constipation, diabetes, diarrhea, seizures, stomach pain, stomach and intestinal ulcers, intestinal spasms, headache, heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney stones, symptoms of menopause, thyroid disorders, and infections. 

Leaves: 

Moringa leaves stick out as a superfood because one cup of chopped leaves is considered a good source of iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and riboflavin and has notable amounts of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin E, and magnesium. 

the leaves are more concentrated in vitamin C than oranges. That means moringa can contribute to everything from better vision and immunity to bone health and skin radiance. 

The leaves retain lots of vitamins and minerals when dried, moringa is used in India and Africa in feeding programs to fight malnutrition. 

The leaves are cooked and used like spinach, and they are also dried and powdered for use as a condiment. 

Flower: 

● The flowers have been traditionally used in tonics that are meant to reduce inflammation and for nursing mothers 

Fruit: 

The immature green pods (drumsticks) are prepared similarly to green beans, while the seeds are removed from more mature pods and cooked like peas or roasted like nuts and used as a superfood against malnutrition. 

Seeds: 

Oil from moringa seeds is used in foods, perfume, and hair care products, and as a machine lubricant. 

Moringa oleifera is the economically most valuable species and is native to South Asia, where it grows in the Himalayan foothills but is widely cultivated across the tropics. Nine species occur in eastern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and Somalia, of which eight are endemic to Africa.