Noni fruitis valued for its special healing properties, and noni juice has become especially popular. The plant that produces these precious fruits isIndian mulberryIs it possible to grow Indian mulberry at home, what does this plant need and will it grow valuable noni fruits at home? Here's what it looks like pottedgrowing noni at homeand is drinking noni juice really that he althy and safe?
Noni fruit, Indian mulberry
Indian mulberry(Morinda citrifolia), much more commonly called simply Noni, is an evergreen shrub or small tree from the Rubiaceae family, reaching 3 to 6 m in height.It comes from areas from Southeast Asia (Indonesia) to Australia. Widely used in natural medicine among the population of the Pacific islands, wherenoni fruit
Indian mulberryis famous not only for its healing properties but also with high tolerance to environmental conditions. It can grow in poor, acidic and alkaline soils, in rocky, wet and very dry areas. It tolerates well positions exposed to wind and periodically wet, it is tolerant to soil salinity. It occurs naturally in lowland areas near the coasts or as a low species in the understory of Pacific islands.
Noniproduces thick, oval, heavily veined and shiny leaves, 20 to 45 cm long. Small, yellowish-white flowers with a tubular shape are gathered in spherical inflorescences. In the natural environment, the plant blooms and bears fruit all year round. The size and shape of the fruit resemble chicken eggs. They are whitish at first and turn yellow as they mature.Inside there are juicy, yellowish flesh and numerous oblong, red-brown seeds, with a clearly visible air chamber.
Noni fruit and juice
"Noni fruitsare edible and considered very nutritious. They contain easily digestible carbohydrates, fiber, proteins, as well as vitamins and minerals. However, at the stage of full maturity, the taste and smell ofnoni fruitleaves much to be desired …
Although all parts of this plant are used in various ways - leaves, stems, roots,noni fruit juicehas become popular today and is credited with numerous medicinal properties. It has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.Noni juicebe consumed in the morning on an empty stomach natural among the population of the Pacific islands, however, its therapeutic effect has not been confirmed scientifically or confirmed only by a few studies.Admittedly, it is overly praised by companies that distribute Noni juice, which spread unsupported claims out of profit. We should also remember that overused
noni juicecan be harmful to the liver. Therefore, if we decide to take a treatment with noni juice, it should be done carefully and in moderation. "
Indian mulberry - cultivation
Noni propagation
Noni can be propagated from seeds or cuttings. The main problem inreproducing Indian mulberryfrom sowing seeds is their long germination time. If they are not properly prepared before sowing, germination can take 6 to 12 months or even longer. However, there are ways to speed up this process, which will be discussed in a moment. vegetatively, seedlings are more susceptible to diseases and in the first years of cultivation they fail in fruiting.Therefore, if we want to obtain plants that are more resistant and less unreliable, it is better to sow the seeds.
Noni fruit, Indian mulberry
Noni seedsare obtained only from ripe, soft fruits. To extract the seeds, separate the fruit by hand and crush it into smaller pieces. The pulp fragments with seeds are placed in a strainer or colander, and then rinsed with a strong stream of water. Additional rubbing with a blunt tool can help to get rid of the flesh that covers the seeds. Most seeds may take several minutes to clean. However, it pays off to spend this time, because one large fruit can produce even more than 100 seeds.
Purified seeds can be sown immediately after extraction fromnoni fruitor dried and stored. For drying, spread them on a newspaper and dry them in a shady place for 3 days. After drying, they can be stored in an airtight container. Store in a dry place atroom.
How to speed up the germination of noni seeds?
The seeds have a permanent seed coat that protects their interior. Therefore, in order to shorten the germination time, the seeds are first soaked and then scarified by cutting or puncturing the seed coat. Thanks to this, moisture and air will reach the embryos hidden inside the seed more quickly.
Growing mulberry from seeds
We start by soaking the seeds in clean water for 1 to 2 days.Noni seedscan swim, so it may be beneficial to put them in a nylon bag to keep them under the water.
The next step is scarification. A convenient way is to cut the seed with a nail clipper. Thanks to this, we will increase the percentage of germinating seeds and shorten the germination time up to 4 weeks. When performing this procedure, hold the seed between your thumb and index finger. Slightly cut the tip of the seed opposite the seed box with a cutter.This should be done carefully so as not to damage the embryos inside the seed.
Then the seeds obtained fromnoni fruitsare planted individually in pots filled with sowing soil mixed with perlite. Place the pots in a sunny and very warm place. Preferably in a greenhouse, and if we do not have one - on the window sill. Germinating seeds tolerate high temperatures, even up to 38 ° C. It is very important to maintain high humidity, so it is beneficial to cover the pots with, for example, cut plastic water bottles with their bottom upside down. With this simple home method, we will create miniature greenhouses. If the cultivation dries out too quickly, a slight partial shade may be better than full sun.
Too small pots inhibit the growth of seedlings, so as they grownoni seedlingsneed to be transplanted to more and more larger pots. We keep warm all the time and water regularly, even several times a week (remember, however, that too wet soil causes the roots to rot).Therefore, in order to avoid overflow, a drainage layer made of small pebbles or expanded clay is necessary at the bottom of the pot and, of course, drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
Noni seedlingsfeed once a month with liquid fertilizer or less often with slow-release fertilizer. The growth of seedlings can also be improved by liquid foliar fertilizer.
Indian mulberry seedlingswill thrive in both sunny and semi-shaded positions. Remember, however, that plants grown in the shade must gradually get used to a greater dose of sunlight. If they are suddenly exposed to full sun, the leaves can get burned.
Plants sown in Hawaii are placed in the field after about 9 to 12 months of cultivation. In our climate, however, Noni can only be grown at home or in a warm greenhouse, providing the plants with sufficiently large pots. Grown all the time in a pot, it will not grow as big as in natural conditions. The firstnoni fruitmay appear after one year of cultivation.
