Moringa oleifera

[Rob08]

Has anyone grown the moringa tree successfully in the UK or Western European climates?

Just curious as I have seed for this tree and was wondering if it can be grown outside or should be kept dwarfed and under cover in our climate.

If you have not heard of this tree before you can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera

[Rob08]

[Biscombe]

Now, thats my kind of tree!!!! where did you get the seeds?

[jennym]

Have read up some info on this, seems it doesn't like cold weather! So, probably wouldn't do well outside all year in the UK.
Some reasonable info on this site:
http://www.moringafarms.com/growing_it.htm
Hope this helps.

[Amazin]

I bought some Moringa seeds from Jungle Seeds:

www.jungleseeds.co.uk

They all germinated easily and grew on well outdoors, then something either ate them or sat on them (cats looking sheepish as I write), but  anyhow they didn't survive. Mind you, the same year I lost lots of young seedlings of various kinds - I reckon an early onslaught of slugs did for them all. I'd certainly give them a go, Rob. And if you're after any other exotics, Jungle Seeds is THE place to go - can't recommend them highly enough.

[Baccy Man]

There is some useful information in this pdf file as well as cultivation it describes a lot of its uses including using the leaves to prevent damping off in seedlings.
It looks like it is capable of regenerating from the roots if the top growth is killed off by a frost in the same way a fig tree does so it would be worth trying.

[Rob08]

Now, thats my kind of tree!!!! where did you get the seeds?

I got them from www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com - they have heaps of really interesting plants listed.

[Rob08]

I bought some Moringa seeds from Jungle Seeds:

www.jungleseeds.co.uk

They all germinated easily and grew on well outdoors, then something either ate them or sat on them (cats looking sheepish as I write), but  anyhow they didn't survive. Mind you, the same year I lost lots of young seedlings of various kinds - I reckon an early onslaught of slugs did for them all. I'd certainly give them a go, Rob. And if you're after any other exotics, Jungle Seeds is THE place to go - can't recommend them highly enough.

Thanks for the info.  I do have Jungle Seeds bookmarked and look forward to shopping there in the future.

I think I will give these a go and overwinter in an unheated polytunnel and see what happens.  If the tree can grow here it would be great.  The other food tree I wanted to try was Basul, but I think that is more definitively a tropical tree so not much chance of it taking here.