Noni (Morinda citrifolia) - Seedling - LIVE PLANT

Plant Insights and Care

Noni (Morinda citrifolia) is a small evergreen tree or shrub native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. It has been cultivated for centuries both as a medicinal plant and for its distinctive fruit. The tree typically grows 3–8 meters tall, with large, glossy, dark green leaves and white tubular flowers.

Noni thrives in hot, humid, coastal, and tropical climates and is highly tolerant of challenging conditions—it can withstand saline soils, poor fertility, drought, and high temperatures. In cultivation, however, it performs best in well-draining sandy or loamy soils enriched with organic matter. It requires full sun but can tolerate partial shade. While hardy, regular watering helps increase fruit production, especially in drier climates.

The tree flowers and fruits year-round, often producing multiple flushes of fruit simultaneously. Pruning can help keep it compact and manageable while encouraging branching and heavier fruiting.

Key Points:

• Origin: Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands.

• Climate: Thrives in tropical and subtropical conditions; tolerant of saline and poor soils.

• Sun Exposure: Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade.

• Watering: Moderately drought-tolerant but benefits from regular watering.

• Soil: Grows in sandy or loamy soils; tolerates saline and marginal soils.

• Fertilization: Light organic fertilization improves yields.

• Pruning: Helps control height and encourage branching.

• Growth Rate: Fast; begins fruiting in 18–24 months under good conditions.

Fruit Profile

The Noni fruit is oval to oblong, 5–12 cm long, with a bumpy, translucent white to yellowish skin when ripe. The pulp has a pungent smell often compared to strong cheese, which is why it’s sometimes called “cheese fruit” or “vomit fruit.” Despite the odor, the fruit has been valued in traditional medicine for centuries.

Ripe noni is soft, watery, and bitter, not typically eaten raw but widely processed into juices, extracts, and powders. It is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and phytochemicals believed to support immune health, though scientific evidence is still being studied.

Dive into the facts:

• Taste: Bitter and pungent; usually processed rather than eaten fresh.

• Appearance: Oval, bumpy fruit turning whitish-yellow when ripe.

• Fun Fact: Polynesian voyagers spread noni across the Pacific, where it became a staple medicinal plant known as the “starvation fruit,” eaten during times of famine despite its strong taste.