Chinaberry Tree Melia azedarach

Chinaberry is a deciduous tree native to a wide area from India through China to Australia. It has naturalized throughout warm-temperate regions and the tropics. It is considered invasive in North Carolina and elsewhere in the Southeast. It is a member of the neem family (Meliaceae). The specific epithet is derived from the French 'azédarac,' which in turn is from the Persian 'āzād dirakht' meaning 'noble tree.'

Chinaberry has been used as an ornamental plant, shade tree and fuelwood. Unfortunately, chinaberry has all the qualities of a successful weed. This plant is adaptable to many environmental conditions, is virtually disease-free and thrives in disturbed areas. As an invasive species in North Carolina, it is found at the edges of roads, in openings in forests, and in thickets and fields all across the state except western areas. It has a rounded crown with stiff coarse branches. The trees tolerate a wide range of soil types.

Several cultivars have been developed. Surprisingly, the cultivars come true to type when propagated by seed, so vegetative propagation is not required. Unfortunately, the cultivars have many of the weedy, aggressive tendencies of the species and are not recommended for any garden.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Weedy and listed as invasive in many southern states and by the NC Invasive Plant Council.