Moringa is native to the sub Himalayan mountain region particularly in India and has been introduced to southwest Asia, southwest and northeast Africa, Madagascar, the Philippines, and in the United States in California, Arizona, Hawaii and Florida.6 This tree is in the Moringaceae, or horseradish tree, family which is closely related to the papaya containing Caricaceae family. It is the sole genus, containing 13 species one such species being M. stenopetala, a species native to and cultivated in Africa. The generic name is derived from the Tamil (language spoken in southern India and northeast Sri Lanka) word 'murungai' meaning twisted pod. And 'oleifera' is Latin meaning 'oil-bearing' due to the seeds high oil content. There are several terms for the tree in Ayurveda (traditional healing system in India) such as 'shobhanjana' meaning 'very auspicious tree' or 'mochaka' which translates to the tree that 'helps to cure diseases.'