Melia azedarach Seeds | Chinaberry Persian Lilac Tree
LATIN NAME: Melia azedarach
COMMON NAME: Chinaberry
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) is a tree in the mahogany family (Meliaceae). Chinaberry nets small, lilac flowers in broad, open clusters, fine, divided leaves below them, and the whole tree carries the soft, lilac-tinted look of the warm roadside. It is a tree of open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained ground. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Melia azedarach ranges from the botany of the mahogany family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Nothing exotic is required: standard seed-sowing practice, done carefully, is enough.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Chinaberry for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Chinaberry is a soft, useful tree of warm roadside and study collection. Where spread is not welcome it is best kept to places where spread is welcome, so check local advice before planting. It is a soft, useful tree of open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained garden. Once settled, it thrives on neglect more than on fussing.
Chinaberry and neem’s cousin share insect-repelling limonoids; the trees are fast shade and folk medicine in Asia, but the fruits are toxic to children, so they are managed with care.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Chinaberry, and the process is uncomplicated. Fill a pot with a light seed compost, sow evenly on the surface, cover thinly and stand it somewhere warm, bright and evenly moist. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
The traditional uses covered above are what first made this species worth cultivating. Its long record of traditional use, described above, gives the plant a story beyond ornament. Sun and good drainage cover most of its demands.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Chinaberry: