White Cedar Melia azedarach
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called White Cedar:
- 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
-
Chinaberry is an ornamental invasive tree (that is also poisonous) in the southeast. It is found in disturbed areas, at the edges of roads, in openings in forests, thickets and natural areas all across the state except western areas. It has a rounded crown with stiff coarse branches that 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 fuelwood. 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.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: It has weak wood. Weedy and listed as invasive in many souther states and by the NC Invasive Plant Council.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Jade Snowflake'
Umbrella-shaped crown - 'Jade Snowflake'
- 'Jade Snowflake', 'Umbraculiformis'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Jade Snowflake'
Umbrella-shaped crown - 'Jade Snowflake'
- 'Jade Snowflake', 'Umbraculiformis'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Melia
- Species:
- azedarach
- Family:
- Meliaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used as a fuel source
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Distribution:
- Southern USA
- 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.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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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.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- 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, flowers have a chocolate fragrance in early summer.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- 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. The leaflets are up to 2.75 inches long. The undersurface is lighter than the top
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Bark Description:
- The bark is a different color from the stems and is usually a dark brown with lighter spots on mature trees and reddish spots on younger trees. The bark has narrow furrows that give it a stripe-like appearance.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. 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, depression, weakness, salivation, seizures, 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
