Our Tropical Soil

Introducing the Noni

The noni is a tropical fruit that is known for its medicinal properties and cheese like smell and taste. Most people find this smell and taste to be too overpowering to eat, so a new challenge has arisen on the internet where the goal is to eat the noni fruit. In these challenges the fruit is often referred to as either “vomit fruit” or “puke fruit.” I find these names to be a bit of an exaggeration. 

The noni belongs to the Rubiaceae family, otherwise known as the coffee family. It is native to Southeast Asia, but it can now be seen naturalized in many tropical areas all over the world. Locals eat it it fresh, fermented, or cooked. Different parts of the tree are also used for medicinal purposes.

Growth Habit of the Noni Tree

The noni grows on a tree, which makes it a perennial species. The tree has soft wood, grows rapidly, and can reach up to 30 feet tall. This makes it a good pioneer species that can be used to restore degraded land. The tree has a deep taproot and many lateral roots that can sprout new noni plants. The large, green, and glossy leaves have an opposite growth pattern. The tree also handles heavy pruning well.

Growth Habit of Flower

The small white flowers grow to around a half an inch across. They have five petals and are self-pollinating. A mature tree can flower and fruit all year long. The flowers are borne on inflorescences that grow on the stems of tree.

Growth Habit of Fruit

The noni fruit is a multiple fruit meaning that multiple pollinated flowers will mature into one fruit. The fruit starts out green and eventually turns a yellowish white. The ripe fruit is translucent, a grey-white color, and firm yet soft. The rings that cover the fruit are scars from where the flowers grew. Fruit size ranges widely, but a large fruit can measure around 7 inches long. 

One fruit can contain over 100 brown triangular-oval shaped seeds. The seeds have an air pocket inside of them which allows them to float. In ideal conditions the noni tree will fruit all year long, however, fruit production is at its peak during the warmer months of the year. I must admit that I have not yet gained the courage to taste this fruit, but it is said to have a bitter and cheese like flavor. In some cultures it is used as a staple food, but in others the fruit is considered a famine food that is only eaten when other crops aren’t available.

Growing Conditions

Noni trees are tropical trees that cannot withstand freezing temperatures. A young and unprotected tree will die if temperatures drop into the low 50s. Mature and established trees can withstand temperatures down into the 50s and perhaps even the 40s. The tree tolerates a wide range of soils and is even seen growing along beaches. A mature noni tree has moderate water requirements and is also drought tolerant. I believe that noni trees can make a good candidate for container growing since they will fruit even while small and are tolerant of many different growing conditions.

Propagation

Noni trees can be propagated by seed from fully ripened fruit. It is said that germination of the seeds takes a couple of weeks. It is recommend to soak the seeds in water and/or knick the seed coat before planting. I have had seeds germinate quickly only by soaking them in water and planting them into pots. Seeds can be stored for some time if they are properly cleaned and dried. Noni trees can also be propagated by stem cuttings, air layering, or by digging up any plants that have sprouted from a mature trees root system. In ideal conditions seed grown trees will produce in their second year while trees grown from vegetative propagation will produce earlier.

Pests

Noni trees are fairly pest resistant. I have not noticed any pests on our noni trees. However, they are supposedly susceptible to root knot nematodes.

This noni is ready to eat.

Uses

There are many uses for the noni tree. Multiple parts of the tree are used for food or medical purposes. There are now many different medicinal noni products that are sold to consumers. A word of caution. There have been some cases where people consuming large amounts of noni juice or tea suffered from liver damage. So, I would be careful when consuming noni products in large amounts.

This noni is ready to harvest.

The fruit can be harvested when white but still firm or left to fully soften on the tree. Some eat the fruit while still firm while others eat it when soft. It can be eaten fresh, dried, cooked, or left to ferment into a juice. The seeds are sometimes eaten when eating the fruit itself, but they can also be separated from the flesh, roasted, and eaten. The leaves are used in some traditional cooked dishes or made into a tea. A red dye can be made from the leaves and a yellow dye from the root bark. Since the fruit is said to have a cheese like flavor I wonder if a small amount of the juice could be used to flavor homemade vegan cheese. I will have to try it one day. 

The one on the left is ready to harvest. The one on the right is ready to eat.

Have you ever eaten a fresh noni fruit? That day for me hasn’t come yet, but I know it will eventually. You can check out other plant profiles by clicking here. You can also find me on youtube by clicking here.