Please make sure JavaScript is enabled.
 
Chinaberry in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Melia azedarach

 

Chinaberry

Melia azedarach is a deciduous umbrella-shaped tree in the mahogany family. The leaves are up to 50 cms. long and are similar in structure to an ash tree, with leaflets that are darker on the upper side than the under-side, and have serrated edges. It bears clusters of small, fragrant pale purple flowers that have 5 petals, which are followed by the marble-sized drupe fruit that remain on the tree all Winter. The fruit become whiter with age, and also become wrinkled, and loved by birds.(The fruit are toxic to humans when eaten). This tree is considered invasive in some parts, due to the fact that birds drop the fruit-stones and new trees grow easily from the dropped stones.

 
plant Features
  • Chinaberry likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Chinaberry likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Chinaberry is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Chinaberry likes all soil conditions

    All soil conditions

 
plant information

Common name

Chinaberry

Latin name

Melia azedarach

type

Tree

family

Meliaceae

ph

5.5 - 8.5 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Chinaberry likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Chinaberry is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Soil

    Chinaberry likes all soil conditions

    All soil conditions

  • Water

    Chinaberry likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Chinaberry is 9.00meters x 12.00meters 9.00 M 12.00 M

Melia azedarach

Melia azedarach is a deciduous umbrella-shaped tree in the mahogany family. The leaves are up to 50 cms. long and are similar in structure to an ash tree, with leaflets that are darker on the upper side than the under-side, and have serrated edges. It bears clusters of small, fragrant pale purple flowers that have 5 petals, which are followed by the marble-sized drupe fruit that remain on the tree all Winter. The fruit become whiter with age, and also become wrinkled, and loved by birds.(The fruit are toxic to humans when eaten). This tree is considered invasive in some parts, due to the fact that birds drop the fruit-stones and new trees grow easily from the dropped stones.


Flowering

From Late Spring TO Early Summer

The flowers appear in late Spring

 

Planting

From Mid Spring TO Late Spring

Chinaberry trees grow very readily from the fruit-stones - so easily, in fact, that this tree is considered invasive in some areas. Plant seedlings in pretty much any soil, in a reasonably sunny position. Water well to establish the tree.

 
Subscribe to GardenTags Premium to get personalised planting tasks and more for your entire plant collection
 
Gardeners who are growing this plant