In Australia, Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae) grows naturally as a large shrub or small tree near the coast from Central Queensland to the Top End and across to the northern Kimberley.
Morinda citrifolia usually occurs just behind the beach, sometimes fully exposed as we’ve seen at Magnetic Island (first photo above) and also in dense beach forest (directly above) as saw on our outing to Balgal last year.
In diverse growing conditions, Morinda citrifolia maintains its vibrant shiny foliage all year (photo above) and it can be an attractive addition to a spacious garden.
Morinda citrifolia flowers (photo above) are pleasantly perfumed and emerge from the surface of the developing fruit in a visually intriguing arrangement. They will be followed by a short period of potential inconvenience if planted without due consideration.
Ripening fruits of Morinda citrifolia (above) unfortunately have a strong aroma that many people dislike. If you plant this species in your garden, it’s best to place it away from bedroom windows and patios.
Alternatively, you can simply remove the Morinda citrifolia fruits while they are still green, and add them to your compost pile. This is also a good strategy to avoid messy ripe fruits dropping inconveniently onto pathways.
Morinda citrifolia fruits (above) were occasionally eaten during periods of food-shortage but their smell and assumed matching flavour is off-putting. Nevertheless the species has had many traditional therapeutic uses in some parts of Asia and the Pacific islands.
In current times, commercial producers of “noni juice” claim many health benefits from their product that is based on Morinda citrifolia extracts with the original flavour neutralised and other fruit flavours added.