árbol del páraiso (bead-tree)

Description:

Melia azedarach, commonly known as bead-tree or Cape lilac, is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, that is native to Pakistan, India, Indochina, Southeast Asia and Australia. The genus Melia includes four other species, occurring from southeast Asia to northern Australia. They are all deciduous or semi-evergreen trees. The adult tree has a rounded crown, and commonly measures attains a height of 7-12 metres, however in exceptional circumstances M. azedarach can attain a height of 45 metres.[2]. The flowers are small and fragrant, with five pale purple or lilac petals, growing in clusters. The fruit is a drupe, marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming wrinkled and almost white. The leaves are up to 50 cm long, alternate, long-petioled, 2 or 3 times compound (odd-pinnate); the leaflets are dark green above and lighter green below, with serrate margins.

Habitat:

M. azedarach is native to the foothills of the Himalayas, where it grows to 3000 m. Cultivated in various parts of Asia and the time of Linnaeus, who scored habitat in Syria in the Species Plantarum, has become naturalized in warm and temperate zones worldwide. He appreciates gardening so aromatic and abundant flowers, and its shadow. Tolerates light frosts have provided a warm summer, is adapted to drought, acid or alkaline soils and salinity, although the wind poorly tolerated by the fragile branches. Is markedly fotófilo. It grows rapidly, and occurs easily from seed or cuttings.