Syringa
Melia azedarach
NEMBA category
English: Syringa, Persian Lilac, Cape Lilac, China Berry, Chinaberry, China Tree, White Cedar, Bead Tree
Afrikaans: Seringboom, Maksering, Sering, Bessieboom
Zulu: UmSilinga
Historical scientific names: Azadirachta indica var. azedarach, Melia orientalis
Melia azedarach, commonly known as the Syringa Tree or Persian Lilac, is a deciduous tree native to Asia and Australia. It is characterised by its pinnate leaves, clusters of fragrant lilac flowers, and yellow, bead-like berries that persist through winter.
Despite its ornamental appeal, it is a problematic invasive species in South Africa. It spreads rapidly through bird-dispersed seeds, forming dense stands that out-compete native vegetation, particularly in riverbanks, forests, and disturbed areas.
The tree is highly adaptable, drought-resistant, and toxic to humans and livestock, further exacerbating its impact.
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Origin:
Native to tropical and subtropical Asia, specifically from the Himalayas (India, Pakistan, Nepal) to China, Japan, and parts of Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland).
Distinguishing features:
Double-compound leaves: Large, twice or thrice pinnately compound leaves that give it a delicate, fern-like appearance.
Fragrant purple flowers: Clusters of small, star-shaped, pale purple to lilac flowers with a sweet scent.
Round, persistent yellow berries: Smooth, spherical, yellow or yellowish-brown fruits that hang in clusters and often remain on the tree long after the leaves have fallen.
Deeply furrowed bark: Bark on mature trees is greyish-brown and develops deep, longitudinal fissures.
Overall appearance:
A fast-growing, medium-sized, deciduous tree with a dense, spreading, and often somewhat rounded or flat-topped crown. It has an attractive, airy appearance due to its compound leaves.
Height:
Typically grows to between 7 and 15 metres tall, but can sometimes reach up to 20 metres.
Width:
The crown can spread between 6 and 12 metres wide.
Leaves:
Alternate, large (20-40 cm long), and conspicuously twice-pinnately or sometimes thrice-pinnately compound (meaning the main leaf stalk branches, and then those branches have leaflets, and sometimes those leaflets are also branched). The individual leaflets are small, oval to lance-shaped, sharply toothed, and dark green. They turn golden yellow in autumn before falling.
Flowers:
Small (about 1.5-2 cm wide), star-shaped, and arranged in loose, branched clusters (panicles) in the leaf axils. They are pale purple to lilac (sometimes white), with a prominent dark purple central column of fused stamens. The flowers are highly fragrant, with a sweet, almond-like scent. The plant is hermaphroditic, with both male and female parts in each flower.
Flowering season:
In South Africa, it primarily flowers in spring, usually from September to November, following the new leaf flush.
Fruits:
Distinctive, fleshy, round or ellipsoid drupes, about 1 to 2 centimetres in diameter. They are initially green, turning bright yellow or yellowish-brown when ripe. The fruits hang in abundant, drooping clusters and are highly persistent, often remaining on the tree through winter and well into the next spring. Each fruit contains a hard, deeply furrowed seed (stone).
Seeds:
The seeds are enclosed within a hard, deeply furrowed, star-shaped stone, usually with 3 to 5 internal compartments. The seeds are very hard, about 1 cm long, and resistant to decay, remaining viable for a long time. Dispersed primarily by birds that eat the fruit.
Bark:
On young trees, the bark is smooth and reddish-brown. On mature trees, it becomes greyish-brown, deeply furrowed, and develops prominent, often reddish-brown, longitudinal ridges and fissures.
Thorns:
This species does not have thorns.
Wood:
The wood is relatively soft, reddish-brown, and aromatic (smells like cedar). It is durable and used for furniture, small implements, and firewood. It is also often resistant to insect attack.
Roots:
Develops a strong, spreading root system that can produce numerous suckers, especially if the tree is damaged or cut.
Soil type:
Highly adaptable to a wide range of soil types, including poor, sandy, stony, or heavy clay soils. It tolerates dry conditions once established but prefers well-drained loams. It can grow in acidic to alkaline soils.
Aspect:
Prefers full sun for optimal growth and flowering. It is tolerant of heat and drought.
Ediblity:
NOT EDIBLE. All parts of the plant, especially the fruits (berries), are highly poisonous to humans and many animals.
Toxicity:
HIGHLY TOXIC to humans and many animals, particularly mammals (e.g., pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, cats). The toxic compounds are primarily meliatoxins, neurotoxins that affect the digestive and nervous systems. While birds can eat the fruit and disperse the seeds, ingestion by mammals can cause severe symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, salivation, depression, weakness, seizures, paralysis, and death. The berries are particularly dangerous, especially when green.
Uses:
Widely cultivated globally as an ornamental and shade tree for its attractive foliage, fragrant flowers, and quick growth. Its wood is used for timber, furniture, and as a durable firewood. It has been used in traditional medicine in some cultures (despite its toxicity) and as a natural insecticide due to compounds similar to neem oil (from the related Azadirachta indica). The hard seeds have been used as beads for rosaries and necklaces.
Ecology:
As an alien invasive plant in South Africa, Melia azedarach is an aggressive invader. It produces a prolific amount of highly viable seeds that are readily dispersed by birds (which are largely unaffected by the toxins). Its rapid growth rate, ability to tolerate a wide range of conditions, and production of root suckers allow it to quickly colonise disturbed areas, forest margins, riverbanks, and degraded rangelands. It forms dense monocultures, outcompeting and displacing indigenous plant species, thereby reducing biodiversity and altering ecosystem structure. Its toxicity poses a risk to Browse livestock and other mammals.
Distribution and habitat:
Widely planted as an ornamental tree throughout South Africa and has become extensively naturalised and invasive in all provinces. It is particularly problematic in areas with sufficient moisture, including the Eastern Cape (very common along roadsides, in old fields, forest margins, and riverbanks around Kenton-on-Sea), KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, and Western Cape. It invades disturbed sites, roadsides, urban open spaces, forest margins, riparian zones, and neglected farmlands.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Melia is derived from the Greek word 'melia', which was an ancient name for the European ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior), referring to the similar appearance of their pinnate leaves.
The species epithet azedarach comes from the Persian word 'azad-dirakht', meaning "noble tree" or "free tree," likely due to its resilience and ease of growth.
Common names like "Syringa" come from its superficial resemblance to the Lilac (Syringa genus), which is unrelated. "Chinaberry" refers to its origin in Asia and its berry-like fruits.
Historical aspects:
Melia azedarach was introduced to South Africa in the mid-19th century as a fast-growing ornamental, shade, and timber tree. Its hardiness, attractive appearance, and fragrant flowers made it immensely popular in gardens and for street planting. However, its prolific seed production and efficient dispersal by birds quickly led to its escape from cultivation and its establishment as one of the most widespread and problematic invasive trees in the country. Its toxicity to livestock also became well-known.
NEMBA status:
Category 1b invasive species. This means it must be controlled and eradicated where possible, and it is illegal to plant, propagate, import, or otherwise possess this plant without a permit.
Interesting facts:
Don't be fooled by its pretty purple flowers and lovely scent – every part of this tree, especially those tempting yellow berries, is super poisonous to humans and most animals!
This tree is a bird's best friend (for seed dispersal, anyway)! Birds can eat its toxic berries without getting sick, which helps them spread the seeds far and wide, making it a very efficient invader.
Its elegant, fern-like leaves don't just look delicate; they put on a spectacular show in autumn, turning a brilliant golden yellow before they drop.
If you find a string of hard, brown beads, they might actually be the stony seeds from this tree, which have been historically used to make rosaries and necklaces!
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