• Home
  • How We Work
  • Where We Work
  • News Room
  • About Us
  • My Nature Page

Conservation Science

Conservation Strategy - Conservation by Design

Conservation Methods

Partners of The Nature Conservancy

Conservation Initiatives

The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Chinaberry - Melia azedarach

chinaberry tree
Chinaberry Tree© John Randall

The Chinaberry tree is on the worst pest list for The Nature Conservancy's North Carolina Sandhills region.

 

The chinaberry tree is invading forests and disturbed areas. Chinaberry thrives in a variety of soils, and is cold-hardy and drought-resistant.  It outgrows, shades-out, and displaces native vegetation. Its bark, leaves, and seeds are poisonous to farm and domestic animals. Chinaberry was widely introduced as an ornamental shade tree. Seeds are spread by fruit-eating birds.

Chinaberry is a deciduous, wide-spreading tree. It may grow to 50 feet tall, but is often shrubby. Its long-stemmed leaves are large (2 feet) and double-compound (having leaflets on leaflets).  The pointed leaflets are dark blue-green above and have toothed margins. Leaves alternate along the stem. The mildly fragrant chinaberry flowers are small and lilac-colored, with 5 petals surrounding a purple tube. The flowers occur in showy clusters at the ends of branches. The round berries change from green to yellow and hang from long stalks. Fruit eventually become brownish leathery seed capsules that stay on the tree through the winter.