I have two in my yard. Both planted in the ground. It's weird but they've been super slow growing for me. They only really grow well for me during the most rainy 3 months of the year. It might be because I'm on a sand hill though. The rest of the year they just sit there. They're completely naked during the driest times of the year and they're half naked if it only rains once a week. My grandfather planted them about 12 years ago and they're only about 10' tall. I'm planning on chopping them down soon and seeing if it invigorates them.

I wonder 'why' yours are so slow growing. They are supposed to be super fast growing, which is what worried me about planting them in the ground. I want to be able to easily harvest and not be taken over by these trees.

I don't know. I wanted to see if it had something to do with the soil so two years ago when a mulberry tree sprouted right next to one of my two moringa trees I left it to see what it did. In that time period, the mulberry grew to 15' , just loaded with fruit. It completely over took and shaded the moringa. This spring I cut back hard the mulberry after it fruited and it responded by fruiting again a second time and flushing right back out with lots of new growth. I don't know if maybe my moringas are dwarfs, or if dwarf moringa even exists. My grandfather bought the moringas from Echo global farms in Fort Myers.

I have one but it is in a large pot. I had also heard they can get big fast unless you have a frost. Mine is too tall to easily get to the foliage. Regular pruning should keep it in check.

Thanks tcgardener. I've seen on you tube where regularly pruning does keep it in check.

Florida Joe - your moringa's are a mystery. Hope they will one day give you some growth.

I've seen permaculture videos where the trees are coppiced every year to keep them in check.

I have one in a large container. When it was new, it grew fast and had fruit the first year. I seem to remember there are more than one variety. Mine was doing great till hurricane Irma, when it got blown over. The roots had grown into the ground but couldn't hold against the hurricane.

This tree has never really recovered and is just hanging on. I need to start over with a new plant. This one was grown from seed. I have heard moringa is very easy to root?

I'm getting the feeling that if I chop it down to ground level it will shoot back up in a season to the height it was before chopping it. The tree probably slows down if not abused lol. My grandfather bought the tree as a novelty. He never even tasted the leaves or cut a branch from it. So I'm thinking to keep it below a certain size it would make sense to cut it down each time it reaches that height.

I got one last spring. I planted it close to the house for winter protection, since I am in zone 9. That was a mistake! It was about 18" tall, and by September it was over 8 FEET tall. So i dug the whole affair up and planted it out in a field. I did a horrible butcher job on the roots and all the leaves fell off, but the thing is a tank and sprouted right back. It hasn't grown much over winter - I am guessing dormant - and it is pretty sparse right now, but I am sure it will go nuts again once the rain comes.

The trees are known to be very much invasive in many subtropical and tropical climates and they're super brittle. They snap very easily, so it's not a good idea to plant them out to grow wild in fields.

People have them throughout my neighborhood as novelties and they produce loads of seedpods because they just let them grow untamed. They're messy unattractive trees so I would hack them down regularly to keep them manageable and prevent so many seedpods or seedlings.

We have one in the front of the house. Super fast growing and very brittle. The branches got so bit and heavy at one point, one just cracked off. Not to mention Hurricane Irma. I'm looking to have it taken out.

Thank you all for your comments. I'm NOT going to plant this in the ground, and may give it back to the person who gave it to me as they have more property than I do. I will just buy bulk powder to put into capsules myself, and buy bulk leaf for tea as well. So many great health benefits from this tree. I'm a widow on my own and I don't need any more invasive, plant life to overwhelm me here on my 1/4 acre. I have enough to handle as it is. ;-)

I used to have one in a pot. It got pretty big but then ended up declining in the greenhouse one winter. I got the seeds from Echo Seeds. I wonder how long the seeds are good for. I might still have them lol.

Read up on its benefits on YouTube. There is a great one from the Discovery Channel. You may change your mind about getting rid of it.For those who,have heavy growth be happy. Moringa Leaves sell for 6 to 8 $ a LB. in Asian stores. The Beans are also edible and used in cooking South Indian Curries. I am surprised an Indian has not come and asked for a cutting or the pods. Cutting the top or the branches regularly keeps it in check.

Wish mine grew fast. I am trying to find the best way to water them. Now that someone mentioned it they love rain even though they are supposed to be planted in full Sun and in soil that drains well. They do not like to be over watered.