chinaberry tree facts

Chinaberry is medium-sized tree that can reach 30 to 50 feet in height. It has dense crown that can be round or umbrella-shaped. Chinaberry has dark brown or purple reddish bark. Initially smooth, bark becomes scaly, deeply furrowed after couple of years.

What is a chinaberry tree good for?

Common Uses: Veneer, carvings, furniture, and turned objects. Comments: Sometimes called “Persian Lilac,” though the name usually rather refers to a hybrid lilac in the Syringa genus. Chinaberry is not closely related to true lilacs, but is rather related to the various types of Mahogany in the Meliaceae family.

Is a chinaberry tree poisonous?

All parts of the tree are considered toxic with the highest concentration of the toxins (meliatoxins) found in the berries. Clinical signs include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and depression; with larger ingestions, toxicity can progress to seizures and death.

What does a chinaberry tree symbolize?

The Chinaberry tree is believed to be symbolic of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. It is also believed to symbolize hope and strength in some cultures.

Do birds eat Chinaberries?

Birds readily eat the seeds and therefore disperse them throughout the countryside in their droppings. If consumed in large quantities, birds have been known to become “drunk” on the fruits. All parts of the chinaberry tree are poisonous to humans.

Can you burn chinaberry tree wood?

Yes, pushing it up and burning it is probably the way to go. People who buy firewood generally expect more dense woods than Chinaberry.

Are chinaberry trees invasive?

The chinaberry tree is basically an imported invasive weed that can be found settled into alleys, front yards, roadsides or near forests. The Melia azedarach is known by many names, including bead-tree, Cape lilac, Pride of India, Persian lilac and, the one probably familiar to you, chinaberry.

How long do chinaberry trees live?

Chinaberry is perennial plant that can survive 40 to 150 years in the wild.

How do you kill a chinaberry tree?

The most effective method for controlling Chinaberry is with herbicides. Herbicides can be applied to leaves, bark, and cut stumps, and can be injected into larger trees (see “hack and squirt”).

Are chinaberry trees poisonous to dogs?

Yes, chinaberries are highly toxic to dogs if ingested. Chinaberry trees (Melia azedarach) are also known as Persian lilac, white cedar and China ball trees. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, the entire tree is toxic, with higher toxin amounts in the berries.

Can goats eat chinaberry trees?

Re: Feeding Chinaberry

They love it. A big tree fell down and we have been feeding it to the goats a bit at a time to get rid of it as it is still green with life in it as it is not completely dead. They love the berries too. Chinaberry has always been on this farm and makes good dense shade.

Where do chinaberry trees grow?

Chinaberry Tree Information: Can You Grow Chinaberry Trees. Native to Pakistan, India, Southeast Asia and Australia, chinaberry tree information tells us it was introduced as an ornamental specimen to the United Sates in 1930 and, for a period of time, became the darling of landscapers in the southern United States.

Can you use chinaberry wood to smoke meat?

Yes, you can smoke with chinaberry wood.

Can a bird get drunk?

Wild Animals and Alcohol

The amount of alcohol in a small berry is not much, but, for a bird with a tiny liver, a handful of berries can add up to a lot. And a handful for a hungry squirrel, is more than enough. And that is indeed what happens. Animals can and do get drunk.

Can trees get drunk?

No, because plants don't have a nervous system like animals do. In animals, including humans, ethanol is absorbed into the blood, and then into the brain, where it screws around with the nervous system's ability to send/receive information. Ethanol does have an effect on plants, though.

How do I identify a chinaberry tree?

Identification: Chinaberry is a deciduous tree that may reach 50 feet in height and 2 feet in diameter. The tree has alternately whorled, bipinnately compound leaves with tapered tips. The lacy leaves become golden yellow in fall. When crushed the leaves have a musky odor.

What wood should you not burn?

Types of Wood You Should Not Burn in Your Fireplace

Soft wood. Soft wood from trees like cypress, pines, or firs burns very rapidly, creates a great deal of smoke, and rapidly coats your chimney with soot. ...
Endangered species wood. ...
Oleander. ...
Mexican elder. ...
Anything Named Poison. ...
Driftwood.

What is the best smelling firewood?

Some of the best slow-burning and fragrant wood for your fireplace include:

Apple.
Beech.
Black Locust.
Blackthorn.
Bitternut Hickory.
Cherry.
Hawthorn.
Hophornbeam.

What Woods are toxic to humans?

Wood Allergies and Toxicity

Wood Species	Reaction
Pine (Pinus genus)	irritant, runny nose, asthma
Pine, Huon	irritant
Pistachio	irritant
Poison Walnut (Cryptocarya pleurosperma)	bark irritating to skin, dust may cause asthma, nausea, giddiness, sap is toxic and corrosive

How tall do chinaberry trees grow?

Chinaberry is a round, deciduous, shade tree, reaching 30 to 40 feet at maturity and growing five to 10 feet during the first and second year after seed germination (Fig. 1). Growth slows as the tree reaches 15 or 20 feet tall.

How do you plant Chinaberry seeds?

Seeds can be started in pots or directly in the ground; they'll require one to three months to germinate. You also can start chinaberry from cuttings. Take a six-inch cutting from the tip of a branch and stick the bottom inch or two into good potting soil. The cuttings should root in about four to eight weeks.

What happened Chinaberry?

It is with sadness that today we announce that Chinaberry will discontinue retail operations on or before January 31, 2019. We still believe as Chinaberry's founder did 36 years ago, that parents are looking for books and toys that instill core values.