luk yo | ยอ | Morinda citrifolia
Family: Rubiaceae - Genus: Morinda
The noni tree is not a tree you will see often in the area, but we do have them in Paksong. Pee Raatri's garden has a couple of noni trees.
Morinda citrifolia is a fruit-bearing tree in the coffee family, Among some 100 names for the fruit across different regions are the more common English names of great morinda, Indian mulberry, noni, beach mulberry, and cheese fruit.
The fresh fruit's strong, vomit-like odor has made it a famine food in most regions, but it remains a staple food among some cultures, and has been used in traditional medicine.
In the consumer market, it has been introduced as a supplement in various formats, such as capsules, skin products, and juices.
Noni fruits are harvested throughout the year, although there are seasonal patterns in flowering and fruit bearing.
THE TREE
The noni grows on a tree. The tree has soft wood, grows rapidly, and can reach up to 30 feet tall.
The tree has a deep taproot and many lateral roots that can sprout new noni plants.
THE LEAVES
The large, green, and glossy leaves have an opposite growth pattern.
Noni leaves are used for medical application. The leaves have been used for arthritis, headache or skin problems by applying the leaves to the affected area.
THE FLOWERS
Noni flowers are perfect, having both male and female organs within the same flower, so only one plant is necessary for harvesting. The plant is flowering and fruiting year around.
The remarkable part is a small white tubular flower with its nectar being a favorite food of honey-eaters. The flower seem to appear on top of already formed ovoid, "grenade-like" fruit that grows and ripens very quickly. In fact, the flowers form in about an inch long globose heads bearing many small white flowers. The flower head grows to become mature fruit that is at first green, turning light yellow or off-white when ripe, with many seeds.
THE FRUIT
The plant bears flowers and fruits all year round. The fruit is a multiple fruit that has a pungent odor when ripening, and is hence also known as cheese fruit or even vomit fruit. It is oval in shape and reaches 10–18 centimeter size. At first green, the fruit turns yellow then almost white as it ripens. It contains many seeds.
The seeds are edible when roasted.
CULINARY USES
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
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.
NUTRITION
Noni fruit coontains:
Xeronine
Vitamins: A, C, E, B. B2, B6, B12, Niacine, Folic acid, Pantothenic acid
Copper
Minerals: Phosphorus, Magnesium, Zink, Calcium, Iron, Chromium, Manganese, Molibdenum,
Sodyuim, Potassium, Carbohydrate
TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USE OF NEEDLE FLOWER
Noni tree is said to be a medicinal tree, so every part of it can be used to make supplements.
Leaves:
Relieves cough, nausea, colic (Malaysia), tuberculosis, sprains, deep bruising, rheumatism, bone fractures, dislocation, hypertension, stomach ache, diabetes, loss of appetite, urinary tract ailments, abdominal swelling, hernias, vitamin A deficiency
Fruit:
Lumbago, asthma, dysentery (Indochina), head lice (Hawaii), wound poultice, broken bones, sore throat, cracking and peeling of toes and feet, cuts, wounds, abscesses, mouth and gum infections, toothaches, appetite and brains stimulant food, boils, carbuncles, tuberculosis, sprains, rheumatism, deep bruises, stomach ulcers, hypertension
Fruit juice:
Regulates menstrual flow, urinary tract problems, arthritis
Stem:
Jaundice, hypertension
Seed:
Scalp insecticide, insect repellent
Flowers:
Sties
Leaves, flowers, fruit, bark:
Eye conditions, skin wounds, abscesses, gum and throat disease, respiratory ailments, constipation, fever, laxative
INTO THE WILD: a down to earth experience
For guests and visitors to Paksong we organize weekly tours "The Edible Forest" and Foraging weekends: Into the Wild. We work with local guides to take you in the jungle of Paksong. After foraging, we will cook a meal with the ingredients, using bamboo together with you!
Come and join and learn about the abundance of food that nature gives us!
INTO THE WILD!
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