Moringa drouhardii, bottle tree seeds

Moringa drouhardii seeds

This bottle tree belongs to the family of Moringaceae and is domiciled in southwest of Madagascar. It can grow up to five to ten meters. The trunks are white and boated, even as seedlings and the leaves are feathered like those of ferns. Because of the similar habitus bottle trees are often confused with Baobab.

Equal to it's famous relative, Moringa oleifera, the leaves are rich of proteins too, so they are used as salad or green vegetable.But there are also some more medical aspects of the bottle tree. The juice of the leaves is stabilizing blood pressure and they also contain anti-inflammatory substances used for wounds and damages. But also the roots of the tree can be used for aches caused by rheumatism. Additionally they include some antibacterial compounds like some alcaloids which were used within antibiotic medicine.

The seedlings are growing after a short time of just one month within a germination temperature of about 25°C. The soil should be mixed with sand to ensure a good drainage to avoid mold. In summer the plant should have a sunny place to grow. During the winter months the tree should be kept at room temperate, minimum 17 degrees. Last but not least this bottle tree is easy to handle, easier than Moringa oleifera.