| Binomial |
Moringa oleifera Lam. |
| Family |
Moringaceae |
| Tamil name |
முருங்கை (Murungai) |
| Habit |
Small, fast-growing, deciduous tree with umbrella shaped crown, drought tolerant |
| Bark |
Slender trunk, smooth greyish bark |
| Flowers |
Small, white, honey scented |
| Fruits |
Long, slender, triangular, seed pods, green when young and brown when mature |
| Flowering period |
January to March |
| Pollinators |
Bees |
| Native to India |
All parts of the tree are consumed as food. Leaves, flowers and fruits are cooked and consumed. The leaves are nutritious and are rich in iron. The oil extracted is called ben oil and is used for dressing salads. The flowers are also used in the perfume industry. The oil cake is used as manure and to purify well water and to remove salt from seawater. The oil is also used as a machine lubricant. The leaves are mainly recommended for lactating mothers
to improve their breast milk production.
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| Location on campus: |
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