The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Mr. Clean on March 19, 2013, 05:29:16 PM
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Can someone explain the different varieties of Moringa? What's the difference between ovallifolia and stenopetala? The benefits of PKM-I and PKM-II? If I want to plant Moringa and keep the trunk around 5 feet high, like a hedge, but don't want to have to replant every 3-4 years, what variety should I plant? The Moringa I tasted had a "powerful" taste. Which one tastes the best?
A friend lost all of his Moringa trees to Hurricane Isaac related flooding; it is not flood tolerent, so plant it high.
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You should call ECHO with your questions and post the answers for all of us!
I believe PKM-1 is from India. That's the most I know.
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PKM-1 is indeed from India. It is a hybrid variety developed by Coimbatore Agriculture University in Tamil Nadu, South India. It can be raised as a container plant. You can get seeds from www.seedsofindia.com (http://www.seedsofindia.com). You can learn more about different varieties at http://www.drumsticksindia.com/aboutus/varieties.htm. (http://www.drumsticksindia.com/aboutus/varieties.htm.)
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Can someone explain the different varieties of Moringa? What's the difference between ovallifolia and stenopetala? The benefits of PKM-I and PKM-II? If I want to plant Moringa and keep the trunk around 5 feet high, like a hedge, but don't want to have to replant every 3-4 years, what variety should I plant? The Moringa I tasted had a "powerful" taste. Which one tastes the best?
A friend lost all of his Moringa trees to Hurricane Isaac related flooding; it is not flood tolerent, so plant it high.
Followed Katie's advice and searched ECHO's archives.
Moringa Stenopetala is from Africa and known as the African Moringa. PKM-1 is a selected variety that grows quickly and can produce seed pods in less than a year. PKM-2 is an improvement over PKM-1. PKM-2 has more lateral branching (desireable for more leaf producting within hands reach) and a seedpod with more flesh than seeds.
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.echocommunity.org/resource/collection/CAFC0D87-129B-4DDA-B363-9B9733AAB8F1/edn96_for_web.pdf (http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.echocommunity.org/resource/collection/CAFC0D87-129B-4DDA-B363-9B9733AAB8F1/edn96_for_web.pdf)
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You can grow the standard Moringa and cut it back to a stump, and it will grow back fast. PKM-1 is supposed to produce pods sooner, be a more compact tree, and have uniform pod size. I also read that it has a shorter life span, something like 3 years or so, but I would like to confirm that.
In some places Moringa is grown like a veggie crop, they plant the seed, and harvest the leaves after a few months. I planted a PKM-1 in the front yard, I should have direct planted the seed instead of transplanting because it got set back, but it is growing.
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In India, the leaves of the Moringa tree, the flowers as well as the pods are eaten. The PKM-2 variety is new and is said to be even better than PKM-1. PKM-1 does have a shorter life span.
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I have two pkm-1 trees. To be sure, it is a moringa selection, not a hybrid. My unnamed moringa does fine with aggressive pruning to keep it 5ft tall. However I found out the hard way it is not suitable for a hedge, at least where I live. Winds wind regularly strip this tree of leaves in the winter. It comes back eventually but it is not good as a hedge unless you mind not having a functional hedge for some months.
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I have two pkm-1 trees. To be sure, it is a moringa selection, not a hybrid. My unnamed moringa does fine with aggressive pruning to keep it 5ft tall. However I found out the hard way it is not suitable for a hedge, at least where I live. Winds wind regularly strip this tree of leaves in the winter. It comes back eventually but it is not good as a hedge unless you mind not having a functional hedge for some months.
Before the "Moringa as a superfood craze" it was often just planted as a live fence, A couple would be planted, then when coppiced, the tree would push out long straight branches, which could be used for fence posts, they often would grow also, when stuck in the ground. I remember years back telling farmers they could eat the leaves on those tree, and also remember them looking at me funny. now its hard to find a Moringa tree with road access that has any leaves on it.
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Couple years have past, since lat post on the Moringa.
The Moringa fad is over. a single PKM-1 variety I planted, is about 30ft tall. and just wanted to give some observations. the leaves seem to be a bit better tasting than regular moringa, the tree does not seem to be dwarfish, its actually taller than most wild moringa trees I see growing around here. the biggest difference is the size of the pods, they are over a yard long, some close to 4ft long.
My wife does not like the tree, its messy, dropping leaves, old pods. also not a great shade tree, as its not very full. yes the tree is nutritious, and medicinal, and I believe also has use as seaweed foliar spray substitute. but unless you have room for it, and do not care about the leaves it drops. I would write this up as a forestry tree or something to use in permaculture systems. live fencing on farms, etc.
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I have 3 trees from seed and have been loving it. I cook mines (non yellowing leaves) like spinach but for a bit long with garlic and onions then add shrimps and coconut milk. Real delish with Jasmine rice. The trees are very vigorous and when I trim em I use it as mulch.
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I turn my moringa leaves into powder by drying the leaves in the garage, out of the sun. Then, using my MagicBullet blender to chop the leaves into powder. The strong taste is gone & the powder can be stored long term.
Here in my area, moringa goes dormant during the winter. I prune my single tree down to about 3 feet. I've tried rooting some cuttings with no success thus far.
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The cuttings should be around at least an inch across to root well. I tried smaller ones as well but they didn't work.
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yeah, you have to process the leaves somehow
drying, or cooking etc...
they are too strong for me fresh. oxalic acid maybe ?
i just got my firs seeds the other day. the pod must have been almost 3ft
the dry seed pods tasted pretty good
now i have seeds, i can plant a 2nd generation.
hopefully i can get a more cold-hardy one after a few gens.
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The leaves are nice lightly cooked but I quite like it fresh of the tree I love to just pull down a branch and graze off the.living leaves fresh as can be :)
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The leaves are nice lightly cooked but I quite like it fresh of the tree I love to just pull down a branch and graze off the.living leaves fresh as can be :)
Same here, straight off the tree for maximum nutrition. I break off a branch while watering and stick the branch in the ground after i eat all the leaves off, couple weeks later a new tree. Can't get any better than that.
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What about the fly poop on the leaves? Flies seem to like landing on the leaves here, and leave little drops of poop on the leaves. I soak the branch in water to soften and then remove the poop before doing anything else. Just FYI if anyone else sees any black sticky dots on their leaves. Could be my local problem.