Chinaberry Tree

Description:

Leaf: Alternate, single to doubly compound, 10 to 22 inches long, leaflets coarsely toothed or lobed, 1 to 2 inches long, shiny green above and smooth on both surfaces. Flower: Purple, in a loose long cluster, each flower 1/2 to 1 inch across, appearing after the leaves. Fruit: Yellow-brown drupe, up to 3/4 inch in diameter in hanging clusters, ripen in the fall and persist all winter. Twig: Very stout, olive-brown to brown with numerous lighter lenticels, three lobed large leaf scar, pith continuous and white, buds are small, round and fuzzy light brown (nearly white). Bark: Brown to slightly reddish brown, splitting into slightly criss-crossing furrows. Form: Small tree, 20 to 40 feet tall with a spreading crown.

Habitat:

Native to Pakistan, India, Indochina, Southeast Asia and Australia. The plant was introduced around 1830 as an ornamental in the United States (South Carolina and Georgia) and widely planted in southern states. Today it is considered an invasive species by some groups as far north as Virginia and Oklahoma. This one was photographed at the Silver Bluff Audubon Center near Jackson (Aiken County), SC.

Notes:

It is also known as bead-tree or Cape lilac. The main utility of chinaberry is its timber. This is of medium density, and ranges in colour from light brown to dark red. In appearance it is readily confused with the unrelated Burmese Teak. Fruits are poisonous to humans if eaten in quantity. However, like those of the Yew tree, these toxins are not harmful to birds, who gorge themselves on the fruit, eventually reaching a "drunken" state. The toxins are neurotoxins and unidentified resins, found mainly in the fruits. Some birds are able to eat the fruit, spreading the seeds in their droppings. The first symptoms of poisoning appear a few hours after ingestion. They may include loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, bloody faeces, stomach pain, pulmonary congestion, cardiac arrest, rigidity, lack of coordination and general weakness. Death may take place after about 24 hours. Like in relatives, tetranortriterpenoids constitute an important toxic principle. These are chemically related to Azadirachtin, the primary insecticidal compound in the commercially important Neem oil. These compounds are probably related to the wood and seed's resistance to pest infestation, and maybe to the unattractiveness of the flowers to animals. Leaves have been used as a natural insecticide to keep with stored food, but must not be eaten as they are highly poisonous. A diluted infusion of leaves and trees has been used in the past to induce uterus relaxation.