Trees bees use - Moringa oleifera

Samuel Adelani Babarinde, Department of Agronomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Apicultural value

Moringa oleifera is an excellent source of nectar for bees. carbohydrate.

Aaricultural value

Moringa oleifera foliage Is used as fodder for livestock.

Names

English: Moringa, Horseradish tree, Drumstick tree, Miracle tree

Yoruba: lgi igbale

Gujarati: Saragvo

Family

Moringaceae

Origin

Moringa oleifera is indigenous to south-east Asia and is cultivated widely throughout the tropics.

Description

Moringa oleifera is a fast growing deciduous shrub or small tree up to 42 m tall and 30 cm in diameter. It has an umbrella shaped open crown. It has a softwood with corky and gummy bark. Its leaves are alternate, oddly bi- or tri-pinnate compound, triangular in outline, and a length of 20-70 cm.

Flowers

On established Moringa oleifera stands, flowering begins in December. Its fragrant flowers are obliquely monosymmetric and papilionoid with five stamens in axillary pendulous panicles about 2 cm long from leaf corners.

Uses

Oil from the seeds of Moringa oleifera is used in making perfume. The fruits and leaves are edible with high protein levels, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrate. They are consumed in West Africa and many parts of Asia.

Seed coagulant is used in waste water treatment. All parts are used extensively in Indian folk medicine. Exudates produce quality blue dyes, while the wood has potential as pulp for the paper industry.