Interesting Things About Moringa Oleifera

Moringa oleifera - flowers and leaves.

Moringa oleifera, better known as "murungai" in Malayalam language in which it grows is another plant that is an important food source to local communities. Although it is more popular among the people of India, but if you recognize it, you may also be interested to try the vegetables of leaf or its fruit.

Also known as “Kelo Beans” it has different names on wherever it grows as it is an important food source. So it has more than 400 names throughout the world. The point that is easily cultivated and weather resistance makes it suitable as a plant either for decorative purposes, or simply shading or avoidance of erosion. However, moringa oleifera grown in areas where people in needs of food source for the healthy benefits, and indeed this plant has properties that are very much needed.

Areas where moriga grow.

It can be grown to form a fence around the house.

Roughly the nutritional values of these plants as food sources are as follows;

• It contains 7 times more Vitamin C than an orange.
• It contains 4 times more vitamin A than carrots (carrots).
• It contains 4 times more calcium than cow's milk.
• It contains 3 times more potassium than bananas.
• It contains 2 times the protein than yogurt.

Of course it also contains more nutrients for health benefits. Although it is not considered as a 'magic' plant, but as a source of food in areas where it is grown, it’s able to supply the nourishment requires.

The trees size are not too big that make it easy to care.

Beans of moringa sold in the market.

Moringa beans, close-up.

The parts of this plant are used as feed leaves and fruit. Each community has their methods of preparing food from the leaves and the fruit. For example in India it is used in curries as bean ‘dal’, or as part of mixed together with ‘dal’. In Myanmar also it is used in cooking the gravy like soup known as "dunt-Dalun chin-Yei", using the fruit. The fruit is also popular as food in other countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia. Even in other countries it is also used as food.

In addition to the food, the fruit is also used to produce oil known as "ben oil", which was once used as a base in the perfume manufacture process. This oil is used not only because it does not have a strong odor, but can be stored for a long period.

Moringa seed cake, a byproduct from the extraction of this fruit can still be used for purposes other than treating the water or fertilizer. Husks from the seeds helped impurities in the water to clump together and facilitate the screening process or in the form of sludge.

Dishes "dunt-Dalun chin-Yei" of Myanmar.

Another dishes used the leaves of moringa.

The trees also sometimes planted for avoiding erosion like in Haiti. While in Taiwan it's also grown in the World Vegetable Center, as the study of the plants used for food. While the population in Odisha in South India, this plant is grown as fence, while also providing a source of food.

So now we know how special this plant is. If you have a house that can still be planted with trees, maybe you can plant it with these trees. This is because there are many other advantages of this tree that cannot be listed here. So if you are interested more about it, you can find out for yourself through the internet, or you can ask any questions for discussion in the next articles.

Unique Group of Plants; Cactus

Cactus has important functions and is a unique plant.

For those of us who live in the tropics cactus may seem unusual because it grows in dry areas. Although some can be grown here, but the cacti are group of plants that so large just as other plants group.

Cactus plants are collection of plants in the family Cactaceae, the group consists of 127 genera and consists of approximately 1,750 species identified. It has varieties in sizes and shapes with a relatively wide distribution, but usually in a dry lying area (with low rainfall levels). However, some families of cactus is very unique and a plant that supplies tasty fruit to be eaten.

Stunning cactus image.

Beautiful flower from Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus.

Cactus is an important source of food in the desert.

Just like any other plants cactus conducting photosynthesis to produce its own food. The different is most cacti equipped with spikes coming out of the trunk through the points known as "areola". The thorns on cactus also vary according to the type (and it is one of the important features to recognize a species of cactus).

Although cacti spines provide protection to the cactus it also has many other purposes. One is to reduce the sunlight directly hit on the stem. Spines also offer little protection from the hot sun. Even for species of cactus "cholla", spines help to spread the seeds that will be attached to the animal and will fall in a new place that might be appropriate for it to grow on more fertile land.

However cacti are also an important plant to animals and humans. For examples animals such as desert tortoises, cactus is a source of food that can provide energy and water, while other animals are also made of cacti as place to build nest and home. At the same time, human take benefit of cacti as a source of water when necessary. While some species of cacti produce edible fruit. Among the most famous cactus fruit is "dragon fruit". Even for "dragon fruit", the entire part of the plant can be used to provide food source for humans.

Cholla cactus has spines that easily attaches.

Flowers from saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)

Among cacti used as decoration.

Few other species of cacti used as decoration.

Among the interesting things about the cactus is; the largest cactus is from the species of Pachycereus pringlei, ever recorded reached a height of 19.2 m (63 ft), while the smallest species are   Blossfeldia liliputiana, with the diameter size of only 1 cm (0.4 in) when mature. While such a large species of cactus "saguaro" (Carnegiea gigantea) is said to be able to absorb water up to 200 US gallons (760 liters) during the rainy season.

Recognizing the uniqueness of these cacti, many cactus centers been opened to get people attention and educate the important of cacti. It also featured as an ornamental plant, many more potential cacti raised here. Naturally cactus is a plant that is still less explored for its further potentials. Then recognizing these unique plants and learning more about it are very important.

Dragon fruit farm in Vietnam.

Dragon fruit look delicious.

Cactus fruit, known as "Indian Fig" sale at the market.