Caroline Chinaberry

Caroline Chinaberry (Melia azedarach 'Caroline') is a selected form of the white cedar, the deciduous shade tree that grows where little else will. It makes about 9m tall and 6m wide, spreading a broad crown of lacy foliage that turns clear yellow in autumn before dropping to let the winter sun through. Scented lilac flowers open in spring.

Why you'll love it

• Shade in summer, sun in winter. Being deciduous, it cools the house through the hot months then drops its leaves when you want the warmth back.
• Fast growth on hard ground. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and happy in poor soil, so it performs on the dry compacted sites that defeat most shade trees.
• Two seasons of colour. Fragrant lilac flowers in spring, then a clean yellow autumn display, unusual in a tree this tough.
• Frost hardy as well as heat hardy. It handles frost and extreme summer heat, covering tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid gardens.
• Birds use it. The flowers draw insects and the canopy gives cover, so it earns its place in a wildlife garden.

Where it works best

Shade for the house and yard. A single tree covers a seating area or the western wall of a house. Allow at least 8m of clear space from the building, since the crown is wide and the surface roots run.

Driveways and dry blocks. Space trees 8m to 10m apart along a drive so the crowns just touch at maturity. On a hot inland block with limited irrigation, it delivers canopy a more demanding tree cannot.

Growing Caroline Chinaberry in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and arid or semi-arid gardens, and it is frost hardy, so cold inland winters are not a concern. Give it an open position rather than crowding it between buildings.

Soil. Almost anything that drains. Poor, stony, sandy or compacted soils are all acceptable, which is rare in a tree this size. Break up the sides of the planting hole and mulch a wide ring 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Weekly deep soaks through the first two summers, then only in prolonged dry spells. Feeding is largely unnecessary, and rich feeding produces brittle growth.

Pruning. Prune in winter while it is bare and the structure is visible. Formative work in the first three years to establish one strong leader is worth the effort, since the wood is not especially strong and crowded branch unions can split in storms.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in one size, a 45L pot, currently on backorder and dispatched with the next crop. A 45L tree is a proper advanced plant with a formed trunk, and it will start giving usable shade within two to three seasons rather than five.

If it arrives in winter it may be leafless, which looks alarming and is entirely normal for a deciduous tree. Plant it anyway, because winter is the ideal time. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to choose a canopy tree for shade
• Compare fast growing shade trees
• Browse the deciduous tree range
• Trees and plants with autumn colour

Common questions

Are the berries poisonous?

Yes. The yellow berries are toxic to people, dogs and other animals if eaten, and they hold on the bare branches through winter. Sweep them up in a garden used by young children or dogs that chew.

How fast does it grow?

Fast. On a reasonable site expect a metre or more of height a year in the early years, easing off as it approaches its mature 9m. Growth is quicker in warm districts and with summer water.

Will it drop seedlings around the garden?

It can self seed where the berries land and are left to rot down. Raking up the dropped fruit each winter deals with it, and any seedlings pull out easily while young.