The tree, known to botanists as Moringa oleifera, is also called the horseradish tree (from its roots) and the drumstick tree (from the shape of its pods). The miracle tree leaves have medical applications and the seed pods are nutritious. But perhaps even more important, a chemical in the oil from seed pods is found to bind sediment to itself while also killing harmful bacteria including E. coli. In past years, use of an extract from the seeds was too expensive for water treatment, and the resulting water quickly grew new bacteria. These problems have now been solved and Moringa seeds show serious promise for water treatment worldwide.