The fruits of Salvadora persica
Ramadan concludes at sunset this evening. For many Muslims, the associated fasting extends to the discouragement (if not prohibition) of using toothpaste and mouthwash. Instead, a miswak, or tooth-cleaning stick, is the prescribed dental tool. Most often, these teeth-cleaning roots or twigs originate from Salvadora persica, sometimes commonly known as the toothbrush tree.
Wikipedia has an extensive entry on miswak, including references to studies that support the effectiveness of Salvadora persica twigs in oral hygiene. In a world waking up to the ills of plastic pollution, perhaps miswaks should become more widely used. Given where this species grows (this small tree or shrub is native to much of Africa, the Arabian peninsula, and parts of southern and western Asia), could it become a sustainable export crop for some countries?
The roots and twigs are not the only parts of these plants that are used. The wood has an array of other uses, spanning from firewood and charcoal to construction materials as a termite-resistant lumber. The fruits, leaves, and young shoots are edible, while the seeds contain oils that can be used for detergents and soaps. Salvadora persica has also had a long history of use in ethnomedicines and ethnoveterinary medicines (see Feedipedia’s entry on Salvadora persica for details).
An approximation of its distribution, along with additional photographs, is available from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility’s page: Salvadora persica. If you just want a quick click to one photo of the tree, see Salvadora persica via Wikimedia Commons.
The idea behind today’s entry is courtesy of BPotD contributor and commenter Chris Czajkowski, who suggested an entry on miswak because her community in British Columbia is hosting a Muslim refugee family. The family speaks little English, so Chris and her colleagues needed to research the dos and don’ts of Ramadan in order to help the family this past month.
Nice photo! Having travelled much in Arabia I am familiar with the little sticks sold in the street and have tried them. They taste a bit like liquorice. As far as I know they are roots not twigs.They certainly look like roots. I agree the plant should be grown more widely!
The Miswak link in the article says, “The brush may be created by cutting Salvadora persica’s branches instead of its roots; keeping in mind that the tree’s roots can retain moisture more so than its branches. This favors more long-term usage.”
I’ll update to say “roots and twigs”. Thank you.
If I hadn’t seen this entry for Salvadora persica and had seen the plant and its fruits in the field I would have suspected it was a member of the Loranthaceae. Fascinating entry. Thank you!
That one-photo link surely is the world champion of the species. The Wikipedia article says that the tree grows to a maximum height is 3 meters, is usually a small tree or shrub, which is what is shown on the gbif page.
I have seen large sized trees as well. Might be the soil salinity that stunts growth.
There are quite a few miswak toothbrushes sold on Amazon. Sadly, most seem to come in individual plastic containers, which undoes the great idea of getting away from plastic. But hopefully that tide will turn. Thank you for the great picture and information.
Very interesting and informative entry. Thank you.
I did my PhD thesis on this plant. It is also found inland and on the coast in Pakistan. The fruits taste sweet but peppery. They pulp makes your skin tingle and itch. You can find different colored fruits on the same plant. Preliminary tests showed they don’t differ in chemical composition. It would be awesome to find out why the plant keeps producing different colors, especially when most new plants dont even grow from seeds!
Anyone know USDA Zone hardiness for this amazing plant? I know the northern extensions of plants from the Mediterranean (quince, pistachio, etc.) keep getting updated …