Melia

These tender, deciduous trees are natives of Asia and Australia and are grown for their pretty foliage and flowers. M. azedarach, the most popular kind, has several common names including Chinaberry, Bead Tree, Indian Lilac and Pride of India. This quick-growing tree reaches an ultimate height ranging from 35 to 50 feet. The Chinaberry has thick, feathery, dark green leaves. They grow up to 3 feet long and 1 foot wide and contain numerous 1- to 3-inch leaflets. In the spring, 5- to 8-inch panicles of pretty, lilac flowers are produced. These are followed by smooth, yellow berries. The berries are poisonous to humans, but are so bitter that it is doubtful they would be eaten anyway. Birds, however, devour them without consequence. The berries persist on the branches well into the fall and often into the winter, becoming wrinkled and sticky with age. They contain pea-sized pits, which are used in some countries to make rosaries. In India, Ceylon, Malaysia and Persia, the berries are strung together and draped over altars. An interesting variety of the Chinaberry, called umbraculiformis (Texas Umbrella Tree), grows 25 to 30 feet high and forms a dense, umbrella-shaped crown of branches.

Pot Cultivation

Chinaberries can be grown in mild climates only. They need a sunny, sheltered location. They can be grown in almost any deep soil, even one that is alkaline; however, sandy loam that is kept moist throughout the summer is the best. Pruning should be done in the fall.

Propagation

Cuttings, made from well-ripened side shoots, can be taken off with a "heel" of wood in July and August. Place them under a hand light outside or in a greenhouse. When they've formed roots, transplant them individually to 3-inch pots and eventually into larger ones. Seeds may also be sown when ripe.