Moringa: 'The Drumstick Tree' that beats to the rhythm of your heart!
The Moringa tree goes by numerous names, the most well-known ones must be the “Drumstick Tree” or the “Miracle Tree”. The name Drumstick Tree comes from the long seed pods that look like drumsticks and it is considered a “Miracle Tree” because of all the health benefits it hides in its seeds, leaves, bark and roots. The whole tree can be used in diverse ways and they are indigenous to India, which is itself a truly magical place!
Moringa Trees can grow in any climate where the winters are not too extreme, as they do not do well in harsh frost areas. The seeds will germinate the best in spring conditions and their mature size is between 7 and 10 metres tall. They are deciduous trees, which means they will lose their leaves in the wintertime and in the spring they will produce small white flowers. They can withstand excessive heat and would be ideally grown in direct sunlight. Be prepared though, they are very fast-growing trees.
Moringa oleifera is the most common Moringa Tree grown for medicinal purposes, however there are a few varieties.
All the parts of the tree can be eaten…the flowers, leaves, seed pods, stems and roots and it is considered a “superfood.”
Moringa leaves can be boiled, then added to soups, stews and used in breadmaking. The leaves can also be air dried and then stripped of the stalk and crushed to form a powder that can be added to smoothies and other dishes. The pods can also be used in cooking and can be chopped and added to soups, stews and stir-fries. The seeds can be eaten dry and are packed full of goodness!
There are endless health benefits from the Moringa plant in the nutrients that it provides. It has anti-diabetic properties and anti-cholesterol abilities and so much more! The benefits can be seen in 3 days to 3 months depending on the person. Moringa is also beneficial in an oil form as it can clear up skin rashes and small infections.
Moringa can be grown from seed easily, so I took it upon myself to sow a few seeds in a seed starter soil medium in a jiffy pot and my seeds germinated, which means I now have a few of these trees bringing this “miracle” to my garden.
Firstly, I soaked my seeds for 2 days before sowing, and then after sowing I placed the jiffy pots on a Root it heat mat to improve the germination process, which should then happen in 2 weeks’ time. They do not like too much water and can get waterlogged which will cause root rot if the soil is too wet all the time. They also have a long taproot, so do not like transplanting so make sure you take great care when you do and that your containers are a good deep size. The Moringa plant does need pruning on a regular basis to make sure it does not grow out long shoots and few flowers.
This tree should have a worthy place in all our gardens as it will not only pull at your heart strings, but its drumsticks will beat to the rhythm of your heart and will give your body a whole lot of health benefits!
I’ve started my Moringa journey, hope you will soon start yours too!
About the Author
Adele Siemssen is the Seeds for Africa Operations supervisor. Adele is a qualified horticulturist with 30 years of hands on experience and loves pets and assisting customers to make their garden dreams come true!
