Hidden Fruits #2: the Neem tree

31 juli 2017 | Klaartje

True, the neem tree is not always primarily used as a fruit tree, yet it holds a lot of treasures. The Indians have long regarded it as a holy wonder tree, as they know it to be a source of health for villages whose inhabitants know how to use it. As one of the world’s most researched trees, many of the things local people have known for thousands of years, are currently being verified by modern day scientists. Besides its use as a source of food, pest control, repellent and fodder, it is said to cure over a hundred diseases.

use in reforestation, urban forestry & agro-forestry
The neem grows so well, it is often considered a weed. As it grows on dry wastelands, producing a large amount of shade, roots and biomass, it is a tree that can help fight desertification and erosion. It is a fast growing evergreen, though in severe drought it may shed its leaves. Hence, the neem is recommended for reforestation of semi-arid regions in India and tropics of the sub-Saharan region, Asia and Central America. Its ability to withstand air and water pollution as well as heat, makes it useful for urban forestry. And as it also helps to restore and maintain soil fertility, it can be suitable for agro-forestry as well.

Moghul painting illustrating a man burning neem leaves near a river where biting insects would be present ©2011 Maia and Moore; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

effective mosquito-repellent?
Various studies have been done to test the efficiency of using neem as a mosquito- repellent, but the outcomes seem to vary. The US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health have compared neem to other natural repellents, and concluded burning the leaves can give a 76% protection for 2 hours, whereas using 1% neem oil volatilized in a kerosene lamp would give 94,2% protection from the Anopheles mosquitos that spread diseases like malaria and 80% protection from Culex species that carry infections such as West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis, filariasis and avian malaria.

Neem repellent plant efficacy according to literature review, Majal 2011:

MELIACEAE
Azadirachta indica	India Sri Lanka China Brazil Bolívia Pakistan Ethiopia Guinea Bissau Kenya Tanzania (…)	Neem	azadirachtin saponins	direct burning (leaves)	76.0% protection from mosquitoes for 2 hours	field study in Guinea Bissau	[99]
				periodic thermal expulsion (leaves)	24.5% protection from An. gambiae s.s	semi-field study in Kenya	[50]
				1% neem oil volatilized in a kerosene lamp	94.2% protection from Anophelesspp. 80% protection from Culex spp.	field study in India	[109]
				2% neem oil applied topically	56.75% protection from mosquitoes for 4 hours	field study in Bolivia	[35]

Those who want a 100% protection against the feared Aedes aegypti mosquito (carrier of diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro and yellow fever) might be better off looking for extracts of the lemon bush (Lippia Javanica), lemon eucalyptus or citronella grass.

Sources:

Malar J. 2011, Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing, doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-S1-S11
http://www.neemfoundation.org/about-neem/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azadirachta_indica & various others

Picture: ‘Neem tree under shade at evening’ by Vershita yadav (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Hidden Fruits #1: the African Medlar

30 juni 2017 | Klaartje

One of the trees which grow where others give up, is the African Medlar. Growing in dry, eroded, infertile sites in eastern, central and southern Africa, their fruits provide a food source for humans and animals alike, whereas leaves and roots are used for medicine and fodder. Though they are traditionally grown in wild areas, they have proven to do very well in domesticated back yards as well. You can grow them either from their seeds or cuttings. As they will not take that much place, developing into a scrub or small tree, they should fit many places, be they fallow plots or well nursed kitchen gardens.

Habit of a Wild medlar near Pretoria, South Africa, source: Wikipedia

magical & medical powers of the Mfulukutu

It is said that according to the Chewa, the Mfulukutu – Vanguaeria infausta – can be used to treat eye complaints, whilst others claim the leaves are useful against toothache & swellings and its roots can relief chest and menstrual complaints.

Yet according to others it possess evil powers. Therefor, you should not use its wood for making fire, nor should you let cattle near it, as it would ca use your animals to bear only male offspring. Proven or not, curses as such may actually help the African Medlar to continue to bear fruits in harsh dry conditions, where many other scrubs and trees may easily have withered away. Would its wood be burned or eaten, the plains might be left empty, for the wind to take the soil.

backyard food store

Unlike many other fruits, the fruits of this wild Medlar do not fall off once ripe, but can stay on the tree, remaining edible for about six months – making it a handy backyard food store for times when other food resources are scarce. In addition, it is relatively easy to dry the fruits and store them for much longer.

As the ratio of fruit to seed size varies significantly by the amount of water and care it receives, and the fruits have to be handpicked, backyard seems to be good places to keep them anyway. Compared to African Meldars found in the wild, Maghembe found, cultivated species produced about 10x larger fruits, making it a good tree to keep near the house.

Examples

10 maart 2017 | Klaartje

People are making a difference, all over the world. Fast growing metropoles are increasingly facing food distribution challenges, but citizens are responding, either individually, or as collaboratives.

Here are some examples of what green edible spaces can look like:

Clearpoint Residencies, Sri Lanka

Clearpoint Residencies — designed in partnership by Sri Lanka-based architectural firm Milroy Perara Associates and Maga Engineering

source: https://www.mnn.com/your-home/remodeling-design/blogs/sri-lankas-first-sustainable-high-rise-is-bedecked-in-greenery

Floating Food Forest, New York, USA

Design for Swale – a floating forest in New York, designed by a collaborative of artists initiated by Mary Mattingly

Source: https://www.dezeen.com/2016/05/02/floating-food-farm-new-york-city-waterways-mary-mattingly-swale/

Paris Peach Orchards

Peach orchards in Montreuil, Paris, using walls to maximize intake of sun & warmth, have long been proving that you don’t necessarily need the Mediterrean climate to grow sweet peaches

Source: http://www.messynessychic.com/2014/03/04/the-last-peach-orchards-of-paris/

Chagga Home Gardens, Tanzania

A traditional Chagga home garden on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, combining various species to spread risk and be able to harvest throughout the year.

Source: https://permakultur.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/homegarden_kilimanjaro/

The EatHouse

Temporary greens: the Eathouse – a modular, edible house for farming summer crops by Stuurlui Stedenbouw and Atelier GRAS!

Source: http://inhabitat.com/eathouse-a-fresh-local-take-on-edible-architecture/

Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Assyria

According lo legend, the hanging gardens of Babylon must have looked something like this: not actually ‘hanging’, but build on roofs and terraces

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon

Chinampas Floating Gardens, Mexico

Preparing the floating gardens in ancient Mexico. These days, floating gardens can alse be found in places like flood prone Bangladesh.

Source: http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-americas/chinampas-floating-gardens-mexico-001537

Mobile Orchards Surprise Kit

10 maart 2017 | Klaartje

Onze eerste Mobile Orchards Surprise Kit is uit! 3 soorten eetbaar groen, samen in 1 potje, met een uitgebreide handleiding. Ideaal juffendagcadeautje!

Tot 30 juni van 10,– voor 7,50 Euro. Uitplanten, gieten en eten maar.

Je kan ze bestellen door een mailtje te sturen met het aantal Surprise Kits dat je wilt ontvangen en het adres waar ze terecht moeten komen.

Moghul painting illustrating a man burning neem leaves near a river where biting insects would be present ©2011 Maia and Moore; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Neem repellent plant efficacy according to literature review, Majal 2011:

MELIACEAE

Azadirachta indica

India

Sri Lanka

China

Brazil Bolívia

Pakistan

Ethiopia

Guinea Bissau

Kenya

Tanzania (…)

Neem

azadirachtin

saponins

direct burning (leaves)

76.0% protection from mosquitoes for 2 hours

field study in Guinea Bissau

[99]

periodic thermal expulsion (leaves)

24.5% protection from An. gambiae s.s

semi-field study in Kenya

[50]

1% neem oil volatilized in a kerosene lamp

94.2% protection from Anophelesspp.

80% protection from Culex spp.

field study in India

[109]

2% neem oil applied topically

56.75% protection from mosquitoes for 4 hours

field study in Bolivia

[35]

Habit of a Wild medlar near Pretoria, South Africa, source: Wikipedia