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Plants

noni

Morinda citrifolia L.

Family: Rubiaceae · Genus: Morinda

indian mulberry

Secondary I Medium No biomass production
Ricard Busquets Reverte · CC BY · iNaturalist

Tropical small tree (3–6 m) introduced in Brazil. Large dark-green leaves, ovoid yellowish-white strong-smelling ripe fruits. Medicinal pulp — supplement market. Tolerates salinity and drought. Works in low/medium stratum of tropical syntropic systems.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Morinda littoralis Blanco, Morinda macrophylla Desf., Morinda tinctoria var. multiflora (Roxb.) Hook.f.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Early secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
High
Soil pH range
5–7.5
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones
11–13

Morphology

Mature height
3–6 m
Recommended spacing
3–5 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Fast
Lifespan
15–40 years
Time to first harvest
18 months
Productive lifespan
20 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Noni takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈6 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

A species of exceptionally wide environmental tolerance — grows in infertile, acidic-to-alkaline, saline, sodic and shallow soils, and under rainfall from 250 to 4,000 mm/yr. Mean temperature 20–35 °C; minimum tolerated ~12 °C (not frost-hardy). Grows in full sun or under up to 80% shade, thriving as a forest understorey. Space 4–5 m in the row. Fruits year-round. Root system like coffee and citrus — extensive laterals with a deep taproot. Susceptible to root-knot nematodes — avoid previously cropped soils.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Regenerates well even after severe pruning ('stumping'), throwing stump and root shoots; can be cut back to the trunk (pollarding) to force a dense head of foliage. Woody branches are brittle under heavy fruit loads or strong wind.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of noni?

The first harvest of noni comes around 18 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for noni?

The recommended spacing for noni is 3–5 m.

How tall does noni grow?

At maturity, noni reaches 3–6 m tall.

When does noni fruit?

Fruiting of noni occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

When does noni flower?

Flowering of noni occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does noni occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, noni belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit Medicinal

Propagation

Seed, Cutting, Air layering

Citations

  1. Nelson, S.C. (2006) — Morinda citrifolia (noni), Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry (Traditional Tree Initiative / PAR) (height_min_m, height_max_m, cultivation_notes, pruning_notes, waterlogging_tolerance, drought_tolerance, root_system, root_depth, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, propagation, ph_min, ph_max, phenology, time_to_first_harvest_months, growth_rate)
  2. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Morinda citrifolia L. (external_ids)
  3. Wikidata — Morinda citrifolia (Q234238) (external_ids, synonyms)

External references

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