Moringa

Moringa, native to parts of Africa and Asia, is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Moringaceae. The name is derived from murungai, the Tamil word for drumstick, and the plant is commonly referred to as the drumstick tree. It contains 13 species from tropical and subtropical climates that range in size from tiny herbs to massive trees. Moringa species grow quickly in many types of environments. The most widely cultivated species is Moringa oleifera, native to the foothills of the Himalayas in northwestern India, a multipurpose tree cultivated throughout the tropics and marketed as a superfood, health food, and medicinal plant. M. stenopetala, an African species, is also widely grown, but to a much lesser extent than M. oleifera.