January/February 2001

Did You Know?

Miracle Tree

The scraggly drumstick tree is perhaps the world's most unappreciated plant. Moringa oleifera, as it is properly called, is a combined pharmacy, food store and water purifier. The leaves are packed with vitamins and nutrients. The young seed pods and seeds (which taste a bit like asparagus) and flowers (which taste like mushrooms) can also be eaten. The leaves have helped infants recover from malnutrition, with results in ten days rather than months with standard medical techniques--at a fraction of the cost. A near-miraculous property is its ability to purify water--used in households for centuries. Powdered seeds added to water act as a coagulant, binding to murk and bacteria, then sinking to the bottom. The clear water is then poured off. The hardy fast growing tree common in the tropics.
Trees for Life
3006 W St. Louis
Wichita, KS 67203, USA
Ph: 316.945.699
www.treesforlife.org
email: info@treesforlife.org