Moringa Resources

The Moringa tree, known also as the Horseradish Tree, is native to northwestern India. Moringa is widely grown, however, in other parts of the old- and new-world tropics, including tropical Asia, many regions of Africa, Indonesia, and South and Central America.

Moringa has a variety of uses. Its leaves, flowers, and pods are a food source for humans and animals. The flowers are a good nectar source for honey, and the seeds are a rich oil source for cooking and lubricant uses. The roots are a source of a spice resembling horseradish, and many parts of the plant have been used in medicinal preparations. Whole plants have been used as living hedges, fences, and windbreaks. The wood is very soft; useful for paper but makes low-grade firewood and poor charcoal. Attracting attention in recent decades is the use of the dried, crushed seeds as a coagulant similar to the chemical alum. Even very muddy water can be cleared when crushed seeds are added. Solid matter and some bacteria will coagulate and then sink to the bottom of a container. The cleaned water can then be poured off and boiled. Use 100 mg (about 1 to 1.5 seeds) of crushed seed to clean 1 liter (1 qt) of muddy water. A Filipino handbook claims Moringa leaves worked into a seedbed 1 week prior to seeding inhibits damping-off fungi. Fresh leaves are a nutritious animal fodder.