Magical Moringa Trees
Fast growing Moringa trees are gaining recognition for nutrition and health benefits of everything from seedpods and leaves to their edible roots. Rodney Purdue has been selling Moringa products, including seeds and seedlings, for the past 17 years and encourages people to grow their own.
“Most of my customers raise Moringa for their own use, but there are some growing it commercially,” says Purdue. “We worked with a foundation to get Moringa growing in Haiti, and now they are beginning to export it. We are buying products back from them.”
Purdue’s Moringa Farms website claims that gram for gram, Moringa has 3 times the potassium found in a banana, 4 times the vitamin A found in a carrot, and 7 times the vitamin C found in an orange. It is also high in heart healthy antioxidants, essential amino acids, phytochemicals, and more. Purdue suggests picking a few leaves as a snack instead of buying expensive multivitamins.
The leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked or fermented. Seedpods can be cooked like green beans, and the seeds can be baked. Even the roots, which have a similar flavor to horseradish, can be used. Purdue reports recently being given some fermented Moringa leaves.
“Fermentation intensifies the nutritional value and makes the nutrients even more available,” he says. “Fermented cabbage can’t hold a candle to fermented Moringa in terms of nutrients, amino acids, and minerals.”
Moringa trees were first introduced into California in the 1500’s. Cultivation of Moringa outside is limited to hardiness zones 9 and 10 with some cultivation possible in zone 8. However, Purdue says it is also well adapted to greenhouse production or in pots that are taken outside in the summer and returned inside when the weather turns cold.
“Most commercial growers keep them at 7 to 10 ft. in height,” says Purdue. “You can plant them as thick as half a million seeds per acre outside. They grow like grass.”
He says the plant will die if frozen, but can withstand a light frost. Moringas go dormant in the winter, but produce heavy growth spring through fall.
Once the tree blooms, the seedpods begin to develop. They turn a light brown, and as a result, the Moringa is often called the drumstick tree.
Normal growth ranges from 10 to 16 ft. or more per year without cropping. Purdue offers seeds and seedlings for improved varieties that can grow as much as 24 ft. in a year, with a fully mature tree topping out at about 35 ft.
He offers full growing instructions on his website as well as recipes. Additional products for sale include leaf powder, capsules, seed oil and even tea.
Moringa Farms also offers seedlings for sale by mail order, as well as limited larger potted trees for pickup at company locations in California, Texas and Florida.
Seeds are priced at $15 for 2 ounces (approximately 90 seeds).
Check out a video of Moringa at FARMSHOW.com.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Moringa Farms, Inc., P.O. Box 55444, Sherman Oaks, Calif. 91413 (ph 818 995-1185; www.moringafarms.com).
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Magical Moringa Trees CROPS New Crops Fast growing Moringa trees are gaining recognition for nutrition and health benefits of everything from seedpods and leaves to their edible roots Rodney Purdue has been selling Moringa products including seeds and seedlings for the past 17 years and encourages people to grow their own “Most of my customers raise Moringa for their own use but there are some growing it commercially ” says Purdue “We worked with a foundation to get Moringa growing in Haiti and now they are beginning to export it We are buying products back from them ” Purdue’s Moringa Farms website claims that gram for gram Moringa has 3 times the potassium found in a banana 4 times the vitamin A found in a carrot and 7 times the vitamin C found in an orange It is also high in heart healthy antioxidants essential amino acids phytochemicals and more Purdue suggests picking a few leaves as a snack instead of buying expensive multivitamins The leaves can be eaten fresh cooked or fermented Seedpods can be cooked like green beans and the seeds can be baked Even the roots which have a similar flavor to horseradish can be used Purdue reports recently being given some fermented Moringa leaves “Fermentation intensifies the nutritional value and makes the nutrients even more available ” he says “Fermented cabbage can’t hold a candle to fermented Moringa in terms of nutrients amino acids and minerals ” Moringa trees were first introduced into California in the 1500’s Cultivation of Moringa outside is limited to hardiness zones 9 and 10 with some cultivation possible in zone 8 However Purdue says it is also well adapted to greenhouse production or in pots that are taken outside in the summer and returned inside when the weather turns cold “Most commercial growers keep them at 7 to 10 ft in height ” says Purdue “You can plant them as thick as half a million seeds per acre outside They grow like grass ” He says the plant will die if frozen but can withstand a light frost Moringas go dormant in the winter but produce heavy growth spring through fall Once the tree blooms the seedpods begin to develop They turn a light brown and as a result the Moringa is often called the drumstick tree Normal growth ranges from 10 to 16 ft or more per year without cropping Purdue offers seeds and seedlings for improved varieties that can grow as much as 24 ft in a year with a fully mature tree topping out at about 35 ft He offers full growing instructions on his website as well as recipes Additional products for sale include leaf powder capsules seed oil and even tea Moringa Farms also offers seedlings for sale by mail order as well as limited larger potted trees for pickup at company locations in California Texas and Florida Seeds are priced at $15 for 2 ounces approximately 90 seeds Check out a video of Moringa at FARMSHOW com Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Moringa Farms Inc P O Box 55444 Sherman Oaks Calif 91413 ph 818 995-1185; www moringafarms com
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