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White Cedar Melia azedarach

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', 'Umbraculiformis'
Tags:
#purple#deciduous#invasive#poisonous#full sun tolerant#lilac#purple flowers#lilac flowers#high maintenance#fast growing#summer flowers#thickets#yellow fruits#small flowers#weak wood#disturbed areas#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Jade Snowflake', 'Umbraculiformis'
Tags:
#purple#deciduous#invasive#poisonous#full sun tolerant#lilac#purple flowers#lilac flowers#high maintenance#fast growing#summer flowers#thickets#yellow fruits#small flowers#weak wood#disturbed areas#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#weed
  • 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.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Poisonous
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • 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
  • 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 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.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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