Hello, I am a Moi Tree

While I cherish my own kind, I have a special connection with humans. My value is reflected in numerous ways that I can be of service. It is believed that my leaves bring good fortune. If you carry one in your pocket, especially one with an even number of leaflets, it is thought to be particularly lucky.

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My popularity knows no boundaries.

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In Nepal, I am commonly known as Jhingat and I am cultivated in agroforestry as a multi-purpose tree, valued for both timber and fodder.

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In Bangladesh, my leaves are used by the Garo, Pahan, and Teli tribal communities as a traditional medicinal plant to treat conditions such as hepatitis, diabetes, ulcers, heart disease, and dysentery.

 

In China, I am used in Yingying, Hainan Island, to treat wounds and hematochezia.

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In India, I am used for several purposes:

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My wood is utilized in plywood due to its excellent termite resistance. Since my timber is moderately hard - it is used for various applications such as spear shafts, scabbards, wheel spokes, oil presses, and grain pounders.  My bark contains tannins and is used for the impregnation of fishnets.  What that means is - installations in the sea, such as fishing nets, will always be subject to fouling by shellfish, algae, barnacles and hydroids. Impregnation is used to reduce this fouling on the actual net, but also has other functions such as making the net stiff so that it is kept extended in the water and to prevent UV radiation from ruining the net.

A resin, called 'Jingan gum' is obtained from my stems and can be used for mixing with lime when whitewashing.  It is also used for calico printing.  Interestingly, the gum extracted from my trunk is frequently used in confectionery.

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Fun fact:  Calico printing is a technique for creating fast-color designs on cotton fabric.  The East India Company imported cotton cloth called "calico" from India in the 17th century. The cloth was printed in bright colors and became very popular, but the English woolen industry was alarmed. In 1700, they passed an Act of Parliament banning imported printed fabrics.

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My bark and leaves are used in medicinal purposes. The powdered form of bark is also used as a flavouring agent.  A decoction of the bark is effective for relieving toothaches, while boiled leaves can be applied to treat swellings. The gum from my bark (Jingal/Jhangiani gum) has astringent properties useful for treating sprains, bruises, skin problems, and dysentery in traditional medicine. In Ayurveda, my stem bark is used to treat excess seminal emissions.​​​​

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I have served as a natural guard for many years. I am commonly used for hedge fencing because I grow quickly and easily.

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Some Adivasi (Indigenous) tribes in Maharashtra utilize me to carve totem poles or ‘marming munda’, which are erected in the groom's courtyard to celebrate weddings. This practice is based on the belief derived from ancient Indian Ayurvedic texts that I possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and also used in the treatment of dysentery, sore eyes, leprosy, and genital wounds.

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I am eaten in various parts of the world, where my young leaves and sprouts can be eaten either raw or cooked. Additionally, I am often used to prepare a dish called lalab (Sudanese) or lalap (Indonesian), which is a vegetable salad served with sambal (Indonesian chilli sauce) and rice.

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I am widely loved across States and dearly addressed with several names:

Indian ash tree, moya, wodier. • Bengali: জিওল jiola • Coorgi: ಗೊದ್ದನಮರ goddana-mara • Gujarati: માવૅડી mavedi, મોયણો moyano • Hindi: मोहीं mohin • Kannada:  ಗೊದ್ದ godda, ಗುಮ್ಪಿನ gumpina, ಕುರಟಿಗ kuratige, ಉದಿಮರ udimara • Konkani: मोई moi • Malayalam: കാരിലവ് kaarilav, കലഡം aladam, കരശ് karas, കരയം karayam, ഒടിയന്മരമ് otiyan-maram, ഉതി uthi • Marathi: मोई moi, शेमट shemat, शिमटी shimati, शिंटी shinti • Nepalese: हललुंडे hallunde • Oriya: indramai, moi • Rajasthani: गुर्जन gurjan • Sanskrit: अजशृङ्गी ajashringi, झिङ्गिनी jhingini • Tamil: ஒதி oti • Telugu: అజశృంగి ajjasringi