PlantFiles: Bead Tree, Persian Lilac, Pride of India, Pride of China, Chinaberry, Umbrella Tree, White Cedar
Melia azedarach

Theres nothing worse than a cluster of fruit smacking you in the head or your bare feet landing upon a mushy cluster. Doesnt get along well with high winds and throws branches throughout the year, including older branches which tend to prefer softening their landing upon the neighbors house. The messiest tree Ive ever seen. Also one of the ugliest trees when all of the leaves have fallen. Squirrels absolutely love the unripened fruit still on the tree. Despite the setbacks, its one of the earliest trees to leaf out and bloom. The blooms are pleasantly fragrant although not too conspicuous, and are the only positive of this plant for me. We have one that was planted when this house was built over 60 years ago and the trunk is massive. A group of woodpeckers have excavated a nest and return to it each year. In their absence, squirrels and eastern screech owls make use of the space.

I guess one man's meat is another's poison. I have only lived in Texas for four years, but I really admire these trees. They grow along fence lines and wherever birds perch. Drought doesn't seem to phase them. Not knowing that the Chinaberry is locally considered an undesirable, I cultivated a volunteer that I discovered in a plant island on my property. In the four years I have lived here, it has grown from a three foot sappling to about 30 feet. Our climate is zone 7b here in Kerrville (some say it's zone 8), and, although this tree is late to leaf out in the spring, and early to lose its leaves in the fall, it thrives in our shallow, alkaline soil. The local birds use the dropped leaf twigs for nesting material (our Purple Martins love it!). Its shape is lovely, and even though I have heard these trees are rather brittle, our windy area doesn't seem to traumatize them at all. Yes, the berries are messy, and I worried at first about our dogs eating them, but the pups don't seem to be attracted to them. Our tree is growing in rock mulch, so we seldom get volunteers from the berries; when we do, they're easy to spot and pull up. Our tree doesn't get suckers. We have cut some lower limbs off as it grows, but that's going to be the case with any tree. We don't have that many trees here in Texas to begin with, so I don't know why anyone would not like having this beauty. It may be short lived, but heck -- in 5 years you can grow another!!

This tree has a very dense crown and a neat appearance. The flowers and twisting trunk are attractive. I give it a neutral because of its weedy nature and short life.

An aggressive, foreign, weed tree. Displaces native trees and other plants. Very brittle wood, susceptible to breakage. Short lived for a tree.

I've been around these trees my entire life. Yes, they are considered trash trees and yes, they can suddenly die and the fruit is really messy. However, the wood is suprisingly overlooked and is similar in appearance to Burmese teak. The wood doesn't crack when drying like most other woods. You can read more about that aspect on wikipedia. I've found the pluses to outweigh the deficits since it does provide needed shade and very quickly. Contrary to what the description here says, bees and butterflies don't much care for the tree. Birds like the fruit but get very drunk from it. My mother's front yard has a Chinaberry but I've never seen a sucker from it, only a couple of trees from seeds.

Update: Today I checked the seeds and there is NO hole in them. And they would have made fairly ugly beads.

Not invasive here, I have more live oak and mimosa and raintree... I have 3 volunteers in the yard in different places, probably planted by squirrels in the 6 years I've had this tree. Bring a sprig of flowers into the house, permiates a heavenly aroma.

It is also known as Drek, Bakain, in Pakistan and India.

This tree's a native tree where I'm from. The seeds have a natural hole in the middle. People string them into good luck charms in the old days. Hence the name 'bead' tree.

In early spring-summer, I've first noticed these group of trees growing along a pathway. I was taken by surprised to see them grow at a very fast pace. One day the flowers took me by surprise, beautiful tiny lilac flowers born in clusters. I tried to take pic. but never was success with cellphone's camera....Now that it's at the end of the season. Once again the same trees surprised me with those bead-like fruits. They appear attractive on an open naturalized area. Soon or later the trees maybe irradicated by one mean or the other....I can only admire its beauty from a distance.

Melia azedarach L. It also goes under other common names including persian lilac, chinaberry, Chinaberry tree, Chinaberrytree, Indian lilac, lelah, paraiso, pride of India, white cedar. It is considered an invasive by the Invasive Species organization and by the Invaders of Texas organization. Please do not plant it as it is highly invasive.

Thank you!

Pretty much an invasive trash tree here that grows on roadsides and in ditches. I can't imagine anyone actually planting these.

Bead Tree, Persian Lilac, Pride of India, Pride of China, Chinaberry, Umbrella Tree, White Cedar Melia azedarach is naturalized in Texas and other States and is considered an invasive plant in Texas.

I seem to recall this tree growing at my Grandmother's home in Statesville, NC. I remember my mother helping me make a string of beads from the seeds. Did I dream this, or do the seeds have natural holes that can be used for stringing? If anyone knows about this let me know. I also remember the tree being like a large umbrella (to a kid), and very good for climbing.

I find the Chinaberry to be a welcome addition to my yard
here in west Texas. We are not exactly overrun with shade
out here and the thick canopy and fast growth is much
appreciated. Pluses are the lovely bark, somewhat exotic
form, if not deadheaded, and beautiful sweet-smelling spring
blooms. I understand they are somewhat short-lived and
brittle trees, but except for the messy berry litter in fall and
having to pull or scrape out numerous seedlings, I really do
love my Chinaberry.

Oh my Gosh! Did any one of you guys smell the fleshy fruit after it ripens? This drupe has such a bad odor that could make anybody puke! Well, I admit it! I’m exaggerating! But it really reeks!
May be it has some concentrated butyric acid! That’s how it smells to me! It reminds me of Ginkgo biloba seeds!
I guess its good contrast is its flower’s perfume! Mmmm!! Delicious!! So I must go neutral on it!

During my childhood on an eastern North Carolina farm (zone 7 -- near zone 8), two China-berry trees played an essential role in our landscape. One was in the backyard and the other in the side yard. Both had trunks of 2.5 to 3 feet or more in diameter and furnished welcome shade. Unfortunately, both were downed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954 as were 7 of 15 oaks of similar size. Never again have I encountered the China-berry tree of such size. Finally, after retirement, I have an opportunity and sufficient property to plant another China-berry tree.

I think this tree has beautiful form, and stands apart from the other "natural" hickory and walnut and oak trees all over my property. It has such a nice canopy, and dark foliage. Very attractive, although my property was cleared of chinaberry seedlings prior to my obtaining it... there are dozens along the road to my home, and gosh-darnit one of these days I am digging up one of those baby trees or "borrowing" its seeds and making it my own!

Here in Las Vegas, Nevada it's almost impossible to find a good shade tree that's legal to grow. This tree is such a blessing!!! Wait 'till it's 115 degrees and see how much you'll appreciate it. It's also a beautiful tree when you keep the suckers to a minimum and plant distant sprouts everywhere--we sure need all of the shade, oxygen, beauty and drought tolerance we can get!! Don't plant where Texas root rot has previously killed other trees.

SAN DIEGO, CA AREA. Growing in El Cajon since the 1950's that I know of. A friend of my Grandfather had 5 or 6 on his property and I dug up some shoots and planted where I live in Jamul in 1975. I have 5 planted in a row in my front yard at the edge of the lawn, about 15 feet between trunks, and just added another one on the end. Also have 3 others on the property, and two other small ones I have managed to start but have not transplanted to another place yet. The 5 together, if I go behind my home up on the hill at about the height of the top of the Chinaberries, it looks like someone took a lawn mower and went across the top of the all. The are all exactly the same height and flat across the tops of them. About 30 feet tall. Until last May of 2004, I had always know them as Umbrella Trees, and that is what my Grandparents and Folks have always called them. So when I went to look them up on the internet I spent about 3 days before I could finally track them down, and find out that they are actually Chinaberry Trees. They are excellant shade trees, but do make a mess when they shed all of their leaves, and also when all of the blossoms drop off. Thank the Lord for Leaf Blowers. I live in the country, so just blow them off the lawn and over to the edge of the brush.

As a tree it is extremely aggressive both via suckers and seeds. If you have one be prepared to have hundreds of sprouts trying to grow everywhere. It does not stop spreading. If you ever saw the Star Trek TV episode "the trouble with tribbles" then you know what this tree is like. It is so aggressive, I am trying to figure out ways to get rid of it. Flowers are pretty, but it is NO BUG REPELLER. Standing under one is an invitation to be bitten. Just like any tree in Central Texas.When it gets warm. LOL It is very winter hardy here near Ft. Hood Texas. It has absolutely no problem handing zone 8 winters. It is THRIVING without any nurturing at all. This is the opposite of a delicate tree in every way.

These trees grew on my farm in Shafter, California. We called them umbrella trees. Later, when I was interested in learning more about them, I located the name "Chinaberry". I thought they were fine trees, and I had a swing on one branch. They made the prettiest flowers! When I moved away from Shafter, I didn't see any of these trees until moving to Oak View. So, they do grow in Central and Southern California. Thanks for the memories! (I even wrote a poem about the chinnaberries once......they get hard and you can rap them for a percussive beat)

Here in Texas (zone 8a) it grows quickly, makes tons of weedy little seedlings, and scatters its berries EVERYWHERE!

This tree is a very invasive and fast growing species in central Florida. The wood is very weak, the form is unattractive, and seedlings pop up everywhere. As for hardiness, it is perfectly hardy in zones 8, 9, and 10, and is damaged by only the most severe freeze years in zone 7, probably indicating that it is technically hardy in zone 7, to 0 degrees F or below.

This tree grows like a weed all over Georgia, especially in the southern portion. It is a common site along fence rows, ditch banks, and the edges of fields. It is a very fast growing tree that can get out of hand quickly. Oftentimes it is seen growing in big bunches and drops hundreds of it's yellow marble sized fruit every year.

The common name White Cedar which has just been added to the names of this tree, is a strange one, seemingly quite unrelated to the plant, which is not at all like a Cedar in appearance, nor remotely related to it.
The name is however the most widely used name in Australia, where it is a native species, at least in Queensland.
The derivation of the name is as follows. A closely related tree, Toona australis, is an important timber tree for its extremely decorative wood, which is reddish in colour and resembles the timber of the true cedar's. This tree was therefore given the inappropriate name of Red Cedar. Melia azederach is in the same family as Toona australis, but its timber is whitish rather than reddish, so by association it was called White Cedar.

These trees have naturalized as far north in the United States as North Texas to Oklahoma, maybe farther north. They are cold-hardy at least to zone 7, maybe colder.

A fast growing deciduous tree from India to China.

Has pinnate or bi-pinnate leaves up to 2ft long, the leaflets are ovate, toothed, sometimes lobed and mid-light green. Bears many small, star shaped, scented, lilac/pinkish flowers. The flowers are followed by slow maturing yellow drupes which some birds enjoy.

Flowers April - June

Loves well drained, fertile, preferably alkaline soils in full sun. Will not tolerate cold winds or frosts and is only hardy down to 45F. It's easily pruned to restrict growth and can be kept in a warm greenhouse or indoors in frost prone climates.

It has some medicinal uses and has some efficacy in treating virii such as Herpes. It's also been used as an insect repellent, antiseptic and diuretic, however, it should be noted that it's a poisonous tree so leave all the medical bits to the professionals!

This tree can become a serious weed in certain areas. It's highly adaptable to various conditions and situations and is very resistant to pests and diseases. It self sows quickly and will produce suckers to colonise an area. The leaf litter can also raise the soil Ph within a matter of a few years. It can mature in as litle as 5 years growing to it's full height in that time.