Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Melia azedarach

Syn. Melia toosendan

IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

Local name

  • Chinaberry tree (English)
  • Bakain (Hindi)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Meliaceae
10m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Melia azedarach bark

Bark

Grey-brown, smooth to fissured.

Melia azedarach leaves

Leaves

Large, bipinnate, aromatic, alternate, resembling ash leaves but with serrated, ovate to lanceolate leaflets.

Melia azedarach flower

Flower

Lilac-coloured, fragrant.

Melia azedarach fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

A distinctive, marble-sized yellow drupe that turns wrinkled and pale yellow/whitish when mature. Stony seed inside fruit.

Melia azedarach

Did you know?

Its yellow fruits contain toxic compounds that can cause severe poisoning in humans and some animals. Many fruit-eating birds consume the fruits and help disperse the seeds.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

Tropical & Subtropical Asia to N. & E. Australia, worldwide