MORINGA PEREGRINA

This member of the Moringaceae family was given this name by Adriano Fiori in 1911. It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gulf States, Lebanon-Syria, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It grows in wadis in grit or another well drained soil with some water and lots of sun. The young plants from a caudex up to 40 centimetres in diameter, the old trees can grow to ten meters in height. The flowers are pink and white, and besides from seeds, this tree can be reproduced by cuttings.

The genera name from the Malabar vernacular name; Moringo. The species name means 'foreign'. Young plants have significantly wider leaves, and form a nice caudex of a swollen root. Later, the leaves get narrow, the caudex disappears and the stems are cut off by Bedouins for their goats and firewood. The bean-like seeds are eaten or used for oil-making, the young tubers eaten, and this beautiful tree are under great pressure in the wild. Photo by Ivan Cupic.