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Useful Tropical Plants

Moringa ovalifolia

Dinter & A.Berger

Moringaceae

+ Synonyms

Moringa ovalifoliolata Dinter & A.Berger

Common Name:

Moringa ovalifolia
Fruiting tree in native habitat in Namibia
Photograph by: Hans Hillewaert
Creative Commons License
Moringa ovalifolia Moringa ovalifolia Moringa ovalifolia Moringa ovalifolia

General Information

Moringa ovalifolia is a deciduous tree, or sometimes tree-like shrub, with a sparsely branched crown. A bottle tree, with a thick bole and swollen roots, it usually grows 2 - 6 metres tall, exceptionally to 10 metres, with a thick bole that is up to 1 metre in diameter[
663
Title
Flora of Southern Africa
Publication
 
Author
Roux J.P.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545
Publisher
 
Year
2003
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line resource.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

663
Title
Flora of Southern Africa
Publication
 
Author
Roux J.P.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545
Publisher
 
Year
2003
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line resource.

Range

Southwest Africa - southern Angola and Namibia

Habitat

Rocky slopes, or sometimes limestone plains, in dry savannah or in subdesert to desert regions[
663
Title
Flora of Southern Africa
Publication
 
Author
Roux J.P.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545
Publisher
 
Year
2003
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line resource.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
HabitDeciduous Tree
Height5.00 m
Growth RateMedium
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A tree of the arid and semi-arid tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 600 metres. Although it requires little water, the tree can cope with quite a lot of rain[
385
Title
Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
]. It cannot tolerate frost[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Requires a sunny position[
385
Title
Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
]. Succeeds in most soils, so long as they are well drained.
Young trees are fairly fast growing, but is best grown in areas where there is a distinct dry period during the cool season[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Edible Uses

Root. A horseradish like flavour, it is used as a flavouring in foods[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Leaves[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Fruit[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in a sandy mixture and cover the seed lightly with sand. Germination is fast and the seedlings grow rapidly. Transplant to individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Cuttings
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Moringa+ovalifolia>

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