Morinda citrifolia – Noni (seed)

Description

Morinda citrifolia is a member of the Rubiaceae family, native to South East Asia and Australasia; now spread around the world. Probably most famous for its smell when ripe. The green fruit is hard but once picked it becomes soft within days and translucent, emitting a smell like blue cheese or vomit. It’s certainly interesting!

Noni is sometimes called a “starvation fruit”, implying that it was used by indigenous peoples as emergency food during times of famine. Despite its strong smell and bitter taste, the fruit was nevertheless eaten as a famine food and, in some Pacific Islands, even as a staple food, either raw or cooked. Southeast Asians and Australian Aborigines consume the fruit raw with salt or cook it with curry.The seeds are edible when roasted. In Thai cuisine, the leaves (known as bai-yo) are used as a green vegetable and are the main ingredient of kaeng bai-yo, cooked with coconut milk. The fruit (luk-yo) is added as a salad ingredient to some versions of somtam. From Wikipedia. It has been marketed in the past as a superfood but the evidence is lacking.

Care and Cultivation of Morinda citrifolia

Sow Morinda citrifolia seeds in spring/summer (when min temps are above 15ºC) under the surface of a good quality seed raising mix and keep moist until germination in 14-28 days. Morinda citrifolia likes a full sun to part shade position with adequate moisture and regular fertiliser. Not particularly cold tolerant, so expect to keep in a pot in cold and warm temperate climates, even in subtropical climates.

8 seeds per packet