Noni
Morinda citrifolia
Often called the 'cheese fruit' or 'vomit fruit,' its ripe aroma is caused by butyric acid, which evolutionary biologists believe attracts fruit bats for seed dispersal.
- Scientific name
- Morinda citrifolia
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Gentianales › Rubiaceae › Morinda
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Tropical coastal regions, volcanic shorelines, rainforest understories, and disturbed lowlands.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (produces energy via photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Northern Australia, Caribbean, Hawaii
- Size
- Shrub or small tree growing 3 to 9 meters (10 to 30 feet) tall.
- Lifespan
- 20-50 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Coastal development and severe tropical storms, though it remains highly adaptable and resilient.
- Safe to approach?
- Noni is completely harmless and safe to approach. Note that the ripe, translucent white fruits emit a very strong, pungent odor similar to decaying cheese. The fruit is edible but has an intense, acquired taste. No special precautions are needed.
Morinda citrifolia is a tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. Its native range extends through Southeast Asia and Australasia, and the species is now cultivated throughout the tropics and widely naturalized.
Photo: 葉子, CC0, via iNaturalist
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