Indian Mulberry (ladda)

Indian Mulberry is not typically used as food due to its unpleasant smell. Instead the roots, leaves, and bark have been used medicinally.

NPS Photo

On Guam, the Indian Mulberry is popularly known by its Hawaiian name – noni. This shrub is native to Southeast Asia and now found throughout the tropics. In size, it can grow to 3 to 6 meters (10 to 29 ft) tall at maturity. The shape of the shrub is variable. It is adapted to a wide range of soil types and environmental conditions. A distinguishing feature is the foul smell of the ripe fruit.

Traditional Uses

Indian Mulberry is rarely used as food as the ripe fruit has a very unpleasant odor. It is an important medicinal plant in the Pacific Islands. Traditional remedies focus on the use of leaves, roots, bark, and green fruit for external treatments. The plant is used as a source of dye. The bark of the root provides a red color and the root itself yields a yellow color.