Melia azedarach

Common Name: Chinaberry

Family: Meliaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 7b-11

Growth Habit: Shrub, Tree

Origin: Temperate and Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific

FISC Category: 2

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: No

Introduction Date: Earliest Florida specimen available vouchered in 1983

IFAS Assessment:

• North: INVASIVE
• Central: CAUTION
• South: CAUTION

Description

Deciduous tree that grows up to 15 m high.The leaves are alternate, 2 or 3 times compound, and are up to 0.5 m long. The leaflets have a smell when crushed, are dark green above, with some pubescence along veins. The leaflets are lighter green below and are generally glabrous. The inflorescences are showy that form from leaf axils.

Habitat

Disturbed sites

Comments

Prolific fruit producer. Fruits are poisonous to humans, but some birds relish them and aid in their dispersal.

Control Methods

• Manual: NA
• Chemical: Basal bark (10-30% triclopyr ester). Addition of 3% imazapyr will increase consistency. [IFAS]
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

NA

References

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-profiles/ accessed 13 June, 2017

http://davesgarden.com accessed 13 June, 2017

IFAS. 2011. Integrated Management of Nonnative Plants in Natural Areas of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WG/WG20900.pdf Accessed June 13, 2017.