Melia azedarach - Evergreen Trees Direct

Melia azedarach

$250.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Size: 40cm/45L

40cm/45L 70L 100L

Current Stock Height Guides

40cm/45L: 1.4m – 2m Approx.
70L: Enquire within for height guide information.
100L: Enquire within for height guide information.

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 8m to 15m (approx.)

Mature Width: 6m to 9m

Melia azedarach is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (approx.).

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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Contact

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Email: sales@evergreentrees.com.au

Phone: (03) 7042 3318

About Your New Melia azedarach

Melia azedarach is the White Cedar or Chinaberry, a deciduous shade tree with a broad spreading crown. The bipinnate leaves are light and fern like, turning clear yellow in autumn. Fragrant lilac flowers open in spring, followed by clusters of round yellow fruit that hang on the bare winter branches.

It grows 6 to 12 metres tall and 6 to 9 metres wide at roughly 30 to 60 centimetres a year. It takes full sun to part shade, most soils, and real heat, drought, light frost and urban pollution. It performs from Melbourne and Adelaide north through inland New South Wales into Queensland.

It is used as a street tree, a park shade tree and a specimen on larger blocks where a light, high canopy is wanted. Lawn and understorey planting will grow beneath it. The fruit does drop, so keep the tree back from pools, paths and driveways when you are siting it.

Frequently Asked Questions

About White Cedar

What is Melia azedarach?

Melia azedarach is a deciduous tree known in Australia as White Cedar and elsewhere as Chinaberry or Bead Tree. Forms of it occur naturally in eastern Australia as well as through Asia. It has fern like divided foliage, fragrant lilac spring flowers, yellow autumn colour and clusters of round yellow fruit in winter.

How big does White Cedar grow?

It reaches 6 to 12 metres tall and 6 to 9 metres wide, forming a broad, fairly open crown. Growth is around 30 to 60 centimetres a year, so a decent canopy arrives within about eight years. Allow 3 to 4 metres between trees as features, or 3 metres apart for an avenue.

Is it evergreen or deciduous?

It is deciduous and defoliates through the colder months, dropping its leaves after they turn yellow in autumn. That habit is often the reason it is chosen, since it shades a house or a car park through summer and lets winter sun straight through. The yellow fruit stays on the bare branches.

When does it flower?

Flowering is in spring, generally October and November, and can run into early summer in cooler districts. The flowers are small, lilac to lavender, held in loose sprays through the new foliage, and they carry a noticeable scent. Round green fruit follows over summer, ripening to yellow and persisting into winter.

Is it safe around pets and children?

The fruit is toxic if eaten, by people, dogs and livestock alike, so it is worth thinking about before planting near a play area, a kennel or a paddock. The foliage and flowers are not a contact hazard. In warmer districts the caterpillars of the white cedar moth can also irritate skin.

Does it have invasive roots?

The root system is vigorous and surface rooting on shallow soils, so allow 4 to 5 metres between the trunk and slabs, paths or drainage lines. In deep soil the roots go down and cause few problems. It also self seeds readily in warm districts, so check your local council listings before planting in bulk.

How do I care for White Cedar?

Water deeply through the first two summers, then it needs very little. Prune in late winter while the tree is bare, lifting the lower limbs for clearance and thinning any crowded growth in the crown. Rake up fallen fruit where children or dogs have access. Fertiliser is rarely necessary in reasonable soil.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

View full details

Type: Garden Supplies

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Feature Tree
Avenue Planting
Shade Tree
Council or Civic Landscapes
Street Tree

Melia azedarach works in an:

Australian Native Garden – celebrates local plants with natural character.
Coastal Garden – relaxed, seaside feel with hardy, textural plants.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Low-maintenance Garden – resilient choices for easy care and year-round appeal.

Is Melia azedarach Evergreen or Deciduous?

Melia azedarach is an Deciduous (Defoliates throughout colder months) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 8m to 15m (approx.)

Mature Width: 6m to 9m

Melia azedarach is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (approx.).

Growth Rate of Melia azedarach

Melia azedarach is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (approx.).

They are considered to have a:

Medium Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Melia azedarach

Is Melia azedarach frost tolerant?

Melia azedarach is Frost Hardy – Survives heavy and frequent frost without damage.

Does Melia azedarach Flower?

Melia azedarach produces masses of star-shaped, lilac-purple flowers with a dark central eye from late spring into early summer. These lightly fragrant blooms appear in large, open clusters and create a soft, airy and highly decorative seasonal display.

Does Melia azedarach flower?

Yes - Flowers

Flowering Period:

Spring

Flower Type:

Clustered

Flower Colour:

Is Melia azedarach an Australian Native Tree?

No

Melia azedarach is Native to Asia and northern Australia, where it grows naturally in open forests, woodlands, and along river systems.

What is the Wildlife Value of Melia azedarach ?

Its nectar-bearing flowers attract bees, butterflies and spring pollinators, while the dense, fern-like canopy provides shade, shelter and perching habitat for small birds. The golden berries that follow are eaten by certain bird species, supporting wildlife even through the cooler months.

How much Sunlight does Melia azedarach need?

Melia azedarach will thrive best in:

Full Sun

Preferred Soil?

Melia azedarach performs best in well-drained loam or sandy soils and tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. It adapts well to poorer, dry or compacted soils but may struggle in heavy, waterlogged clay unless improved with organic matter and coarse material to enhance drainage. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then transition to deep, occasional watering as the tree matures to support drought resilience, vigorous canopy growth and reliable seasonal flowering.

Is Melia azedarach Drought Tolerant?

Is Melia azedarach Drought tolerant?

As a young tree it requires regular watering, but once established Melia azedarach develops excellent drought tolerance. Hardy, fast-growing and adaptable, it performs strongly in hot, dry, inland and coastal climates and maintains a full canopy with only occasional deep watering during extended dry periods.

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How To Plant Your Melia azedarach

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun to part shade with room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Melia azedarach

Feature tree: 3 to 4 metres apart to allow the full canopy and form to develop.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Melia azedarach is expected to grow 30cm to 60cm per year (approx.).

Medium Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Melia azedarach

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, reduce to once weekly in dry periods. Mulch helps maintain consistent moisture.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk.

Pruning: Minimal pruning required. Light tip prune in late winter to maintain shape, and remove lower branches as the tree grows to develop a clean feature trunk.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release native blend in early spring and again in autumn. Avoid high-phosphorus formulations as a precaution.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional scale or caterpillar inspection in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Melia azedarach in Different Soil

Melia azedarach performs best in well-drained sandy loam or loam with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is improved with organic matter.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch well to maintain consistent moisture.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred. Mulch with composted leaf litter to maintain levels naturally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is this tree suitable for urban environments?
Yes, the Chinaberry Tree is commonly used as a street tree or in urban landscapes due to its adaptability and ornamental qualities.
Does Melia azedarach attract wildlife?
Yes, the fragrant flowers attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, contributing to biodiversity.
Is it tolerant of different soil types?
Yes, the Chinaberry Tree is adaptable to various soil types, making it a versatile and hardy tree.