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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Buddleja alternifolia Alternate leaf butterfly bush
Akebia quinata Akebia quinata
Amorpha fruticosa Amorpha fruticosa

Syringa Melia azedarach

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
ME-lee-uh az-ee-dair-rak
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
See below
This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
Description

Melia azedarach is an invasive tree (that is also poisonous) in the southeast. It is considered a weedy tree with weak wood. This tree has a rounded crown with stiff coarse branches and can tolerate a wide range of soil types.

A native of Asia, Chinaberry was brought to the U.S. in the late 1700’s by a French botanist. Chinaberry has been used over the years as an ornamental plant, shade tree, and fuel wood. Unfortunately, Chinaberry has all the qualities of a successful weed. This plant is adaptable to many environmental conditions, is virtually disease and insect free, and thrives in disturbed or open areas.

 

Found in: Weedy in disturbed areas; naturalized at edges of roads, in openings in forests and natural areas; in landscape used as an ornamental tree.

 

 

 

 

 

Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Jade Snowflake'
Tags:
#purple#sun#deciduous#yellow#invasive#poisonous#full sun#lilac#purple flowers#weedy#tree#lilac flowers#fast growing#forest#summer flowers#yellow fruits#small flowers
 
close up of flowers
close up of flowers Priyanshu Katiyar CC0
fall color
fall color Michel Chauvet CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
flowers and fruits
flowers and fruits Anna Anichkova CC BY-SA 3.0
form
form K M CC BY 2.0
Flowers Close-up
Flowers Close-up Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Flowers
Flowers Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Tree Growth
Tree Growth Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Growing Form
Growing Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Melia azedarach
Fall Color Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Melia azedarach
Fall Color Leaves Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Melia azedarach
Flowers Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Melia azedarach
Flower Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Melia azedarach
Flower and Leaves Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Jade Snowflake'
Tags:
#purple#sun#deciduous#yellow#invasive#poisonous#full sun#lilac#purple flowers#weedy#tree#lilac flowers#fast growing#forest#summer flowers#yellow fruits#small flowers
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Melia
    Species:
    azedarach
    Family:
    Meliaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Asia
    Distribution:
    Cultivated and naturalized
    Wildlife Value:
    Fruit eaten by birds and may attract hummingbirds
    Play Value:
    Wildlife Food Source
    Dimensions:
    Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Poisonous
    Tree
    Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The 0.4-0.5 in. fruits are mucilaginous, wrinkled drupes that are sticky, with hard, round, marble-like seeds. Yellow to yellow-green, they are formed after flowering and can persist after leaf drop in the fall and through the winter to spring.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Panicle
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    In spring, long, fragrant, lilac-like flowers are produced in leaf axils. Flowers are small but numerous in large terminal clusters that are lilac-colored. This plant has 8-16 in. panicle of lavender-lilac, fragrant flowers in early summer.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are alternate and 2-pinnately (bipinnately) divided with toothed, pointed leaflets. Therefore, this plant has 12-24 in. alternate, bipinnately compound leaves. These leaves have yellow-green fall color.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Light Brown
    Red/Burgundy
    Bark Description:
    The bark is a different color from the stems and is usually a dark brown or reddish brown covered in light-brown spots.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Purple/Lavender
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Woodland
    Problems:
    Invasive Species
    Messy
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Children
    Problem for Dogs
    Weedy
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Medium
    Poison Symptoms:
    TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Poisonous parts: All parts of the plant--especially the fruit and tea from leaves-- are poisonous to humans, some livestock, and mammals, including cats and dogs. Poisonous through ingestion. Symptoms post-consumption include stomach irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, irregular breathing, respiratory distress, breathing difficulty or paralysis. Some birds and livestock are not affected.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Tetranortriterpene neurotoxins; also possibly a saponin
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Bark
    Flowers
    Fruits
    Leaves
    Roots
    Sap/Juice
    Seeds
    Stems