Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Tree
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Wet Mesic Mesic Dry Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3) Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 7a -17.8 °C (0 °F) to -15 °C (5 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 11
Plant Height:	30 to 60 feet (9-18m)
Leaves:	Semi-evergreen Deciduous
Fruit:	Showy Edible to birds Other: Marble size globose to subglobose green drupe matures to bright yellow, gradually becoming white. Birds are primary spreaders of seed and may become paralyzed after ingesting.
Fruiting Time:	Summer Other: Fruit may persist through winter.
Flowers:	Showy Fragrant
Flower Color:	Lavender
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Spring Late spring or early summer
Underground structures:	Taproot
Suitable Locations:	Street Tree Bog gardening
Uses:	Shade Tree Will Naturalize Useful for timber production
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds Butterflies
Resistances:	Humidity tolerant Drought tolerant
Toxicity:	Fruit is poisonous
Containers:	Not suitable for containers

Common names

Chinaberry
Umbrella Tree
Bead Tree
Persian Lilac
Pride of India
Pride of China
White Cedar
Dhraik

Botanical names

Accepted: Melia azedarach
Synonym: Melia dubia

Photo Gallery

Location: At the Kemper Center, within the Missouri Botanical Garden in Saint Louis
Date: 2003-05-13
Melia azedarach [Chinaberry]

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Southern Pines, NC
Date: April 19, 2024
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Southern Pines, NC
Date: April 9, 2023
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: At the Kemper Center, within the Missouri Botanical Garden in Saint Louis
Date: 2003-05-13
Melia azederach [Chinaberry]

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2012-03-29

Uploaded by gingin

Location: zone 8 North Central, Fl.
Date: 2017-12-06
Birds that have eaten many fruits of this tree have been known to

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Southern Pines, NC
Date: April 15, 2023
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2012-03-30

Uploaded by gingin

Location: Southern Pines, NC
Date: April 2, 2023
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Southern Pines, NC
Date: February 6, 2023
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Southern Pines, NC (Boyd House grounds)
Date: September 13, 2022
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by christinereid54

Location: South-Africa - Drakenbergen
Date: 2017-01-28
Invasive species - but the birds are gratefull!!

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by bootandall

Location: Waynesboro MS
Date: 2005-05-02

Uploaded by hementia

Location: Barcelona, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-03

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Aberdeen, NC
Date: January 1, 2022
Chinaberry tree #73; RAB p.655, 105-1-1; LHB page 612, 103-1-1, "

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: zone 8 North Central, Fl.
Date: 2017-12-06

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: zone 8 North Central, Fl.
Date: 2017-12-08

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2011-10-30

Uploaded by gingin

Location: Potohar, Pakistan.
Date: 2012-10-09

Uploaded by KAMasud

Uploaded by KAMasud

Uploaded by KAMasud

Location: Waynesboro MS
Date: 2011-08-26

Uploaded by hementia

Uploaded by gingin

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by gingin

Uploaded by gingin

Photo courtesy of Annie's Annuals and Perennials

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by TexasCLorenz

Comments:

Posted by porkpal (Richmond, TX - Zone 9a) on Feb 21, 2024 6:54 PM concerning plant:

Chinaberries are attractive trees and give a dense shade, but they are invasive and a nuisance here. Their berries are also toxic to livestock.

Reply to this comment
Posted by plantladylin (Sebastian, Florida - Zone 10a) on Mar 8, 2012 3:01 PM concerning plant:

The Chinaberry Tree is a fast growing tree that can reach heights to 60 feet. It's a short lived tree with a rounded crown and reddish brown bark that becomes fissured with age. The Chinaberry tree produces panicles of fragrant lavender to purple flowers which are followed by clusters of yellow fruits that remain on the tree even after the leaves have fallen. Chinaberry is sometimes planted as a street tree and has long been a popular shade tree in the southern part of the U.S.

The Chinaberry tree is invading and disrupting natural plant communities in Florida and has been listed by the Florida Exotic Plant Pest Council as a Category I non-native invasive species. This tree has also been listed as invasive in Texas and Hawaii, as well as other states. The seeds are readily disbursed by birds, and the trees quickly form thickets that shade out native plants and trees.

All parts of the Chinaberry tree are poisonous to humans, birds and wildlife. Birds that have eaten many fruits of this tree have been known to become paralyzed.

Reply to this comment
Posted by KAMasud (Alpha Centauri - Zone 9a) on Oct 8, 2012 10:11 PM concerning plant:

Natural insecticide like Neem.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
dragonfetti	On February 17, 2012	Obtained plant Established tree on property.
WebTucker	On January 1, 2022	Fruit Ripened

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Melia Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)

Melia
Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)