African moringo, Phantom tree
Moringa ovalifolia

Family: Moringaceae

What it is like

A succulent tree. It grows up to 7 m high. It has a squat, swollen stem. The bark is smooth and pale grey. It is shiny. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are alternate and compound. They are crowded near the ends of branches. Leaves are large and up to 60 cm long. They are made up of 4-7 pairs of leaf stalks with 2-7 pairs of opposite leaflets then one at the end. The leaflets are 1.3-2.5 cm long by 0.7-1.8 cm wide. They are light green. The flowers are 2-3 mm across with 4-5 white petals. The flowers occur in large sprays made up of many branches. These appear just before the first young leaves. The fruit is like a pod. It is flat with 3 sides. It is yellowish-green to pinkish-grey. These are 40 cm long and split into 3 valves. The seeds have wings.

There are 13 Moringa species.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It is native to SW Africa. It grows in dry rocky hillsides and sandy flats. It grows in hot arid places. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 50-350 mm. It grows from 175-1,600 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa

How it is used for food

The bark, stem and roots are eaten. The root is eaten raw. The root although edible is sour. It is like horseradish. They are also roasted. The leaves and fruit are eaten. The fruit are eaten as a snack.

The leaves are highly prized.

Edible parts

Bark, stem, roots, leaves, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Meelsakboom, Oluhongwe, Omukuva, Sprokiesboom

Synonyms

Moringa pterygosperma Gaertn.; Moringa ovalifoliata Dinter & A. Berger;