# indian mulberry

CEFR C2 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/indian-mulberry
Updated: 2026-08-05

## Definition

a small tropical tree that grows in Asia and the Pacific islands. It has bumpy green fruit and is often used in traditional medicine or for making dyes.

For teachers: a tropical evergreen shrub or tree, Morinda citrifolia, of the madder family. It is primarily known for its pungent, edible fruit and its historical use in producing red or yellow dyes from its roots and bark.

## Examples

- The Indian mulberry grows well in tropical coastal areas.
- While hiking through the village, we saw an Indian mulberry tree with its distinctively bumpy, pale green fruit.
- Ethnobotanists have long studied the Indian mulberry for its diverse applications in traditional Polynesian medicine and textile pigmentation.

## Usage notes

- usually refers to the plant itself, though the fruit is more commonly known by its Hawaiian name, 'noni'.
- Teaching tip: use this to teach how common names for plants often include geographical descriptors that may not reflect their entire range; contrast with the more commercially recognized name 'noni'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.