Tree
Chinaberry
Melia azedarach · Meliaceae
Also called: Chinaberry tree, Pride-of-India, Texas umbrella tree, Bead tree
Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) is a low-water tree well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 30-40 ft tall, 20-40 ft wide in full sun, with a fast growth rate. Expect lavender to pale purple, fragrant blooms spring.
Chinaberry at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun
- Mature size
- 30-40 ft tall, 20-40 ft wide
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Lavender to pale purple, fragrant, Spring (March-April)
- Cold hardiness
- Hardy to about 0-10 F (USDA 7-11); deciduous, fully cold-hardy in Tucson and tolerant of intense desert heat.
- Soil
- Tolerates almost any soil including poor, alkaline, and compacted desert soils; good drainage preferred.
- Native range
- Himalayas, India, and Southeast Asia; widely naturalized and invasive in the southern U.S.
- Best used as
- Fast shade, Tolerant of harsh sites
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees; birds may eat fruit and spread seed, contributing to its weedy invasiveness.
- Toxicity
- Highly toxic. The yellow berries are poisonous to humans, dogs, cats, and livestock; ingestion can be fatal. Keep away from children and pets.
How to grow Chinaberry in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought-tolerant once established; deep soak every 2-3 weeks in summer, monthly or less in winter for an established tree in Tucson. Young trees need water every 5-7 days the first summer to root in.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Rarely needed in the low desert; this vigorous tree grows fine without feeding. If chlorosis appears, a light spring application of a complete tree fertilizer with chelated iron corrects it.
Pruning & care
Prune in winter dormancy to develop strong structure and remove the weak, narrow-angled crotches it is prone to; the brittle wood breaks in monsoon storms, so thin the canopy to reduce wind load.
Notes
Generally NOT recommended for the low desert: invasive, weak brittle wood prone to storm breakage, toxic berries, suckering roots, and prolific reseeding. Listed as invasive in Arizona and many southern states. Included for identification/removal reference rather than as a recommended planting.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona State University (Virtual Library of Phoenix Landscape Plants); USDA PLANTS Database