Melia azedarach arrived in the American Southeast as an ornamental and shade tree from its wide native range stretching from India through China to Australia, and it settled in with the ease of something that had always meant to stay. The Persian name "noble tree" flatters it genuinely during flowering — the lilac-pink blooms are fragrant and abundant, and the open crown provides reasonable shade. It grows 30 to 40 feet tall in zones 7 through 10, tolerates almost any soil, and resists virtually all pests and diseases.

That adaptability is precisely the problem. Chinaberry is listed as invasive across the Southeast and by the NC Invasive Plant Council, appearing along roadsides, in forest edges, and in disturbed ground throughout the lower states. The cultivars bred for ornamental use retain the same weedy tendencies as the species and are not recommended for any garden. The berries, while attractive to birds, are toxic to humans and many animals. For anyone gardening in its range, Chinaberry is best removed where found and replaced with native alternatives of similar stature.