Moringa oleifera is the most widely cultivated species of the genus
Moringa, which is the only genus in the family Moringaceae. English common names include:
moringa,
drumstick tree (from the appearance of the long, slender, triangular seed-pods),
horseradish tree (from the taste of the roots, which resembles
horseradish),
ben oil tree, or
benzoil tree (from the oil which is derived from the seeds). It is a fast-growing,
drought-resistant tree, native to the southern foothills of the
Himalayas in northwestern India, and widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas where its young seed pods and leaves are used as vegetables. It can also be used for water purification and
hand washing, and is sometimes used in herbal medicine.