The Miracle Tree - Moringa

What a great thread! Thank you Chelle (and everyone else) for posting this and following up with so much valuable information! I'm sold and am ready to try growing a Moringa. I live in NW Arkansas (zone 6.5) though so will have to grow it inside in the winter. Can you give specific information about optimal growing conditions? What size pot, type of soil, how much light, minimum/maximum temps, germination requirements, etc. Thanks!

Been growing Moringa outside in containers in Southern California. Trees are tender with temps below 40 degrees, I had a few nights where temps were around 37 degrees or so. The young tree suffered foliage damage from the temps in the high 30s. I am sure cold tolerance would be improved with age of tree and can differ slightly depending on seedling genetics.

We are looking at frost the next two nights. My moringa have grown for two seasons. The second season they grew a good deal taller, and are blooming a bit. But not many leaves on my moringa sticks - a new layer or two grow, and then everything under that drops their leaves. Not very productive here in north Florida, don't know if it is the soil or what.

All the fun stuff grows in zones below me. It'd definitely be awesome to have the ability to have a climate controlled green house that was divided up and had every zone in it. I can grow apples here, woooooo.

I found this very important information at http://www.greenvirginproducts.com

Moringa is an amazing plant but if it is not packaged properly all the nutritional value will be gone before you even open the package.
The major elements which cause the deterioration or destruction are oxygen and light. The deterioration caused by oxygen is called oxidization and the latter is called photo-oxidization.
So it is imperative that moringa must be packaged in oxygen free (not just air tight) packaging that also blocks 100% of light. However a lot of moringa sold in the USA do not have those protection measures.
The reality is,the ingredients are being deteriorated even if the package is not opened. Because even if it's sealed there is air inside the package, 21% of the air is oxygen, so the ingredients are destroyed.
Even if the package is translucent the light can penetrate into the ingredients destroying the nutritional value.
That's the reason why our products are packed in an aluminum pouch and we put the oxygen absorber inside the package and double seal it.
The pouch shuts out 100% of the light and the oxygen absorber sucks up all the oxygen inside the pouch. And it's designed to absorb any excessive oxygen even if there is a minor pin-hole in the pouch.


We have the Japanese traditional techniques of processing herbs without destroying ingredients to eliminate only unsavory taste. We do not disclose this particular processing method.
Moringa also improves blood circulation.
Our Moringa is 100% natural, nothing added, no chemicals, preservatives or pesticides. Raw materials are carefully harvested from our Moringa natural forest (wild crafted).

Some companies sell Moringa capsules, Most of the powder used to make capsules on the market today is contaminated by bacteria because they use the air dry method. Also most capsules are in bottles that you can see the capsules right through the bottle. Light will destroy the nutritional value in these moringa capsules before you even open the bottle.

We do not disclose this particular processing method. Now not only in the Philippines, many doctors are prescribing our Moringa Tea and achieved numerous legendary results. Moringa also improves blood circulation.

All of our products are 100% natural, nothing added, no chemicals, preservatives or pesticides. Raw materials are carefully harvested from Moringa natural forest (wild crafted).
Of course heavy metals were never detected, what is more,Moringa is known that it discharges heavy metals from the human body, animals and pets.

About the Taste of Moringa Tea.
Our Moringa Tea tastes very good and has a very mild flavor that most people rated among their favorite teas. Those who tried other brands of Moringa tea totally hate the taste. Basically the taste of Moringa is terrible unless it goes under our proper processing method. All other Moringa teas sold in the market are simply air dried leaf or powder with added ingredients to try and cover their bad flavor.

When making Moringa Tea it is important to not heat the water hotter than 140 degrees F. Making it any hotter will destroy some of the nutritional value. It tastes great over ice too. Tea must be consumed within 24 hours after seeping in hot water or nutritional value is diminished.

this certainly is an interesting tree, probably wouldn't grow in my area too well, even indoors but definately cool, maybe it'll make it into my tropical greenhouse someday if i ever get it running

though not so easy to make good meals out of and definately not as easy to grow in the US, hempseed is also a nutritional superfood, fulfilling all but one or two things nessacary to meet nutritional requirements

i wonder how many other plants come as close as these two to fulfilling the human diet completely?

Hi Folks,

Thanks Chelle and all contributors, I am excited to find a Moringa thread. That's permies for you, always there when I need help with my odd ball schemes.

It has been so long since I visited the forums that I had to go through password recovery to get my sign on name. Good thing I remember my email address. I've skimmed through this wonderful thread, which seems to have been going for several years.

I visited Senegal in the fall of 2010, stayed in a remote mountain top village for a couple of weeks, ate Moringa leaves prepared many ways.

I've begun to try to grow Moringa oleifera. The seeds germinated just fine. I wasn't expecting such a high germination rate and have 50 + seedlings out of 65 seeds. I am pondering where to plant them. I live at 5000 feet elevation ( web says they don't like it above 1500 feet). I wonder if anyone out there has any experience with high elevation and cold winter Moringa. I will likely plant some out in the soil, and some in containers. I can bring containers in for the winter, into the house and into the passive solar greenhouse. I plan to try to root some cuttings as well.

I want to get to seed production, because I understand that Moringa is "adaptogenic", that each generation grown in new conditions brings on adaptations.

I would appreciate any help. suggestions, experience, ideas, opinions on temperate zone Moringa culture.

Thanks
Thekla

The flowers and leaves look a lot like black locust. Does anyone know if they are related?

Sheila, they are legume flowers.

Kevin's solution is just not sustainable, with all this packaging! And when I think about all the cold seasons plants I cannot grow here, well I focus on what thrives here, and there are a lot of miracle plants for all places. And a well adapted plant is so much less work!

I would not advise to grow moringa where it cannot grow, well, at the limit ok, and with the adaptation's power, they will grow hardier, then give seeds to some one just a little in a colder place and so on.... why not make a chain, a relay? Each one passing the seeds to someone in a little colder area, and so achieving a slow and progressive adaptation...

Then I will tell about my experience, as I have moringa. Well, they get yellow even in a warm place... and I guessed they lacked nitrogen!! Hard to belive for a legume? But do I have the right rhizobium for this legume to nodule with? May be not... and so I started to water my moringas with diluted urine, and t definitely worked out. I will post pics...

I also find they week for wind. The trunks move so much!

What's about eating, well I would not spend my time grazing on it! I prefer the chenopodium and amaranthe leaves... Quite strong taste, so an aditive into the salad ok. And harvest the new leaves, the tender ones, before they get harder and yellow.

I find them good for giving a light shade, as they do not have much leaves when young at least. And if they do not nodulate welll in ones' soil, then they do not bring nitrogen...

Anyway, I have some more growing in pots, so I still like it, though I do not call it a miracle, it is just part of the garden, and sure you can find wonders if your weather is not warm enough.

If growing in pots : tall pots, I use the plastic bags. The tap root must not be disturbed, and must not twist, and it is longer than the seedling...

I am growing it in a greenhouse in Iceland. It's Moringa first year and it is about 40cm tall.

Yes, it does drop its leaves ocasionally, and I don't know exactly why, but it tends to drop them when I water it. As I let the soil dry again, the Moringa quickly regrows new leaves. It also likes hot temperature. I still don't know why the leaves get so often yellow and even discolored. Might be also a nutrient defficiency.

The leaves, when crushed, smell peppery but actually nasty. I don't like the smell. Therefore I do not enjoy eating it raw but I haven't venture yet to try it cooked. Has anyone had this bad peppery experience? (it smells like horseradish yes, but I hate horseradish)

The Moringa is not from the legume family !! It is related to the cabbage family (Moringacea family, order Brassicales). Therefore I guess it does not fix nitrogen, so it might be actually nutrient hungry (like a cabbage), despite the fact that is grows natively in poor and desert soils.

The amazing thing, for me, is Moringa's ability to grow so quickly and need so little water.

Paulo Bessa wrote:The Moringa is not from the legume family !! It is related to the cabbage family (Moringacea family, order Brassicales). Therefore I guess it does not fix nitrogen, so it might be actually nutrient hungry (like a cabbage), despite the fact that is grows natively in poor and desert soils.

Right for the family!

Can you try the same as me to see if it works as for me?
And tell me...
I dilute urine in water to feed the tree, and they seem to enjoy the extra "food"!

About taste, I have the same... Pepperry yes...
Radish is a brassica too!
I mix it for cooking and did not notice the taste.

I had forgotten this post and the fact that Paulo pointed out it is not a legume!

Vidad MaGoodn wrote:I haven't had moringa set seed here either, though it works well from cuttings. Interesting that you've observed the same. I got some blooms this spring but no pods.

I haven't seen many pollinators visit the flowers.

Neither did I, and the moringa is supposed to attract bees!
So, what is the problem, and who ever got pods?

I have Moringa Oleifera tree seeds for anyone who lives in tropical/subtropical climates. This important "Tree of Life" has many amazing health and environmental benefits and uses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera
http://www.baternafarms.com/index.php/whats-moringa/nutrients.html
http://www.oilseedsshop.com/moringa-granules-cattle.html

Plants are an important source of proteins, but most plants actually supply the units making up the proteins – the amino acids. Proteins are digested by the gastro-intestinal system and then cut into smaller, simpler units (amino acids) that can be absorbed through the walls of the intestines and used by the body. Since proteins and other nitrogen-containing substances are continuously depleted and rebuilt, they must be replaced by a continuous supply of amino acids from the diet.

There are 20 amino acids present in the human body’s structures. Of those, 9 are known to be ESSENTIAL; they have to be supplied by the diet since the human body cannot synthesize them, as it does with the other 11 amino acids. Few foods, like Moringa, are known to contain all 9 essential amino acids. The 9 essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Moringa’s essential amino acids presence and digestibility scores are more than adequate when measured against the standards of World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and United Nations Organization (UNO) for small children, the most at-risk population group when it comes to proteins in food.

Just send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I will return it to you with seeds.

Hope Henley
6119 Mullin Street
Jupiter, FL 33458

Great for Tilapia feed also. Tilapia nibble at the lettuce and Mulberry but devour the Moringa. Also easy to strip the leaves into bite sized pieces. Do wish they produced more leaves though. It took mine 2 years to go to seed. "One hundred grams of fresh Moringa leaves have 2 times the protein of 100 g yogurt" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa http://www.moringatreeoflife.com/About_Moringa.html

Hi Steve,

That's great to know about the talapia and their preference for Moringa leaves. I have about 30 trees in various sizes, but from the same planting time. Some are in pots and two are growing directly in the ground. Only one tree (growing in the ground) has seeded, and that happened within the first year. All of the others have been cut back every couple months.

Hope Henley wrote:I have Moringa Oleifera tree seeds for anyone who lives in tropical/subtropical climates. This important "Tree of Life" has many amazing health and environmental benefits and uses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera
http://www.baternafarms.com/index.php/whats-moringa/nutrients.html
http://www.oilseedsshop.com/moringa-granules-cattle.html

Plants are an important source of proteins, but most plants actually supply the units making up the proteins – the amino acids. Proteins are digested by the gastro-intestinal system and then cut into smaller, simpler units (amino acids) that can be absorbed through the walls of the intestines and used by the body. Since proteins and other nitrogen-containing substances are continuously depleted and rebuilt, they must be replaced by a continuous supply of amino acids from the diet.

There are 20 amino acids present in the human body’s structures. Of those, 9 are known to be ESSENTIAL; they have to be supplied by the diet since the human body cannot synthesize them, as it does with the other 11 amino acids. Few foods, like Moringa, are known to contain all 9 essential amino acids. The 9 essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. Moringa’s essential amino acids presence and digestibility scores are more than adequate when measured against the standards of World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and United Nations Organization (UNO) for small children, the most at-risk population group when it comes to proteins in food.

Just send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I will return it to you with seeds.

Hope Henley
6119 Mullin Street
Jupiter, FL 33458

Does Moringa have properties that can aid in weight loss? I've read some diet pills that incorporate natural ingredients like green tea, cayenne pepper, grape seed. I think it's called Liproxenol. I'm hoping that more plants, etc will be used for various alternative healing methods.

Not that I know of. Moringa has general health benefits, not specifically weight loss. In my opinion, If you focus on improving nutrition and health, the weight naturally balances out.

Here is a video presentation that Mariko Gifford, owner of Moringa for Life, gave at our local CRFG meeting. She is very knowledgeable on the subject and willing to answer a lot of questions to support the spread of moringa. She also sells a variety of moringa products. Hopefully this video will answer some of the questions that are floating around out there.

Thankyou to Chelle and all involved with this Forum. You are the reason why I chose to try Moringa Oleifera on my small farm in the country of Panama. The weather is perfect the soil is perfect and I've had great success starting 2000 seeds in grower bags. My problem is Leaf Cutter Ants denuding the poor saplings. I'm hesitant to place them in the ground til I find a solution. The local workers say to use this and that and being its Panama that could mean anything including things that are banned in the US and Europe but are not regulated here. I would like to find an organic alternative. I read about D E but don't know if its feasible for such a large crop, and don't know how well it works. If anyone has any ideas I would greatly appreciate it. Thankyou

Wow, what a great thread about Moringa! We are growing Moringa in Southern California and want to encourage more people from all over the country to grow Moringa! The good news is, even in colder climates, Moringa grows so fast that it can actually be planted as an annual in a garden - just like a vegetable. This is great news for people that live outside of the tropics–since you can still enjoy growing Moringa yourself! Just think of it as a vegetable and not a tree and you won't be disappointed! Start indoors and plant the seeds about 1.5 months before your last frost date. After your last frost date transplant the Moringa outside. One contact I have in Wisconsin gets 3-5 foot plants in his garden each year! I grew Moringa one summer in Charlotte, NC. I planted from seed outside at the start of July. Some trees reached over 6' tall by the time the cold weather came. If you plant 20 or so "trees" in your garden on 1.5 - 2.5 foot spacing you will have a nice little supply of your own leaves! Here is blog post about how fast our Moringa trees grew in 2015: How Fast Does Moringa Grow?. For more info about Moringa check out the website: A Healthy Leaf.