| Menu list goes here |
Herbal Database Search Results
Back
to: Pathways Main Search
Page For Metaphysical uses
visit The Witchs Haven
Melia azederach
| Common name: |
Bead Tree |
Family: |
Meliaceae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
11, 51, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Melia japonica (G.Don.) |
| Known Hazards: |
The fruit is somewhat poisonous[2, 4, 89]. Ripe fruits are more toxic than green ones[218]. As little as six fruits have caused fatalities in children[274].
All parts of the plant contain toxins that can cause gastric tract irritation and degeneration of the liver and kidneys[274]. |
| Range: |
E. Asia - N. India to China. Naturalized in the Mediterranean. |
| Habitat: |
Moist sunny locations[152] to 2700 metres in the Himalayas[51]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
3 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| M. azadirach[E]
M. azedarach[B,C,E,G,H,HPIC,HORTIPLEX,P]
M. azedarach var. japonica[G]
M. azedarach var. umbraculifera[B,P]
M. toosendan[G,H]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Alilaila [E], Amargoseira [E], Arbol Enano [E], Chin Ling Tzu [E], China-berry [B], Chinaberry [DEN1,E], Chinaberry Tree [H], Chinaberrytree [P], Faux Sycomore [E], Fleurs Lilas [E], Gemeiner Zedarachbaum [E], Gringging [E], K'U Lien [E], Lien [E], Lila [E], Lilas [E], Lilayo [E], Mindi [E], Mindi Kechil [E], Nd [E], Paraiso [E], Pazienza [E], Piment D'Eau [E], Sen Shu [E], Sendan [E], Sibahbah [E], Tak [E], Tasbih Aghaji [E], Violeta [E], Zanzalakht [E], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Sapindales. Mahogany family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
America
Arab Bahamas Britain China Colombia Dominican Republic France Germany Guatemala Haiti India(Ayurvedic) Iran Iraq Italy Java Malaya Mexico Nepal Paraguay Portugal Turkey Us Venezuela
|
Physical Characteristics
A decidious tree growing to 9m by 9m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
We rate it 3/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.Edible Uses
Drink
Fruit Gum Leaves.
Leaves - cooked[2, 105]. A bitter flavour, they are used as a pot-herb,
in curries, soups etc[2].
Fruit[2]. A sweetish flavour, it is eaten by children though some people
believe it to be poisonous[2]. The fruit is between 1 and 5cm in
diameter[200] and contains a single seed[219].
Both these reports, of edible leaves and fruits, should be treated with some
caution. The fruit is poisonous according to one report where it says that
the ripe fruit is more poisonous than the green fruit and that they have
sometimes caused human fatalities[218].
A cooling drink is made from the sap[2] - it is actually a gum[64]. This gum
is tasteless, clear to dark amber and of good solubility[64]. The sap is
obtained from incisions that are made near the base of the trunk in the
spring[2].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Anthelmintic
Antirheumatic Antiseptic Aphrodisiac Astringent Bitter Diuretic Emetic Emmenagogue Febrifuge Laxative Lithontripic Purgative Stomachic Tonic.
Used externally in the treatment of rheumatism[4, 152].
An aqueous extract reduces the intensity of asthmatic attacks[240]. (This
report does not specify the part of the plant that is used[K].)
The leaf juice is anthelmintic, antilithic, diuretic and emmenagogue[218,
240]. A decoction is astringent and stomachic[218]. The leaves are harvested
during the growing season and can be used fresh or dried[238].
The flowers and leaves are applied as a poultice in the treatment of
neuralgia and nervous headache[218, 240].
The stem bark is anthelmintic, astringent and bitter tonic[21, 176, 218]. It
is used as a tonic in India[21]. It can be harvested at any time of the year
and is used fresh or dried[238].
The fruit is antiseptic and febrifuge[218]. The pulp is used as a
vermifuge[227]. The fruit is harvested in the autumn when it is fully ripe
and can be used fresh or dried[238].
The seed is antirheumatic[218, 240]. It is used externally.
The root bark is emetic, emmenagogue, purgative and vermifuge[21, 176, 218].
It is highly effective against ringworm and other parasitic skin
diseases[218]. It can be harvested at any time of the year and is used fresh
or dried[238].
A gum that exudes from the tree is considered by some to have aphrodisiac
properties[21].
This plant should be used with caution, preferably under the supervision of
a qualified practitioner[238]. Excess causes diarrhoea, vomiting and symptoms
of narcotic poisoning[238].
Other Uses
Beads
Insecticide Oil Parasiticide Repellent Wood.
The seed contains up to 40% of a drying oil[114]. It is used for
lighting, varnish etc[4, 74].
The musk-scented seeds are used as beads in rosaries[1, 51, 89, 158, 245].
The fruits are a source of a flea powder and an insecticide[46, 74]. The
whole fruit is ground up and used[61]. The fruit pulp is also used as an
insect repellent[149].
The leaves repel mosquitoes and other insects[89, 148, 178].
Wood - tough, durable, moderately heavy, somewhat brittle, handsomely
marked, takes an excellent polish. It has a musk-like aroma[245]. It is used
for making furniture, packing cases etc[114, 146, 149, 227]. Because it is
fast-growing, it is often used as a fuel[272].
Cultivation details
Requires a sunny sheltered position[166]. Succeeds in most well-drained
soils and in hot dry conditions[200]. Likes sandy soils[188]. Grows well in
mild coastal areas[188].
A very ornamental tree[1], it is not very cold tolerant being killed by
temperatures lower than about -5° c[260]. It only succeeds outdoors in the
mildest areas of Britain[166], seldom growing larger than a shrub[182]. It is
hardy on a sunny wall in S.W. England[11, 219]. It is often cultivated in
warmer regions than Britain for its many useful qualities[1].
The flowers are produced on the current years wood and have a delicate sweet
perfume[182, 245]. The trees do not normally require pruning[219].
The seeds have a strong scent of musk and the wood is also
musk-scented[245].
Trees are very susceptible to forest fire, though they sprout back readily
from the roots[229]. They are planted for re-afforestation in their native
areas, where they are fast growing though short-lived[200, 229].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Propagation
Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse. The seed is best sown as soon
as it is ripe in the autumn[188, 238]. The seed usually germinates well. When
they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots
and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant
them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after
the last expected frosts[78].
Root cuttings[113].
Scent
-
Stem: Fresh Crushed Dried
- The wood smells strongly of musk[245].
-
Seed: Fresh Crushed Dried
- The pea-sized seeds are heavily musk-scented[245].
-
Flowers: Fresh
- The flowers are produced on the current years wood and have delicate sweet perfume[245].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
References for Melia azadirach (a possible synonym).
References for Melia azedarach (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for Melia japonica (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for melia azedarach (a possible synonym).
References for the family Meliaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[51] Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984
A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[64] Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber
A very good book dealing with the subject in a readable way.
[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[89] Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1
A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
[114] Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq.
It is surprising how many of these plants can be grown in Britain. A very readable book on the useful plants of Iraq.
[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
[148] Niebuhr. A. D. Herbs of Greece. Herb Society of America. 1970
A pleasant little book about Greek herbs.
[149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.
[152] Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.
A very good and readable guide to the subject.
[158] Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945
A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.
[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[260] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998 ISBN 0-330-37376-5
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
Readers Comments
Melia azederach
anita sands hernandez
(astrology@earthlink.net)
Mon May 06 10:55:25 2002
beads excellent for stringing, six lobed, tradit. used in indian rosary
making, malas they call it. the name itself refers to its use as
necklace beads. mala being necklace or bracelet or rosary in their
language. flower very frag. if pruned, does not produce berries in that
next summer. nor flowers. so prune judiciously leaving 2nd year growth
where poss. makes lovely floral arrangement. the wood (hard) is useful
for rustic arbor and trellis making, many branches can be up to l0 feet
tall, straight, up to 2 " wide.
Main Search Page
Help
Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Melia+azederach
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Melia+azederach
|
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if
you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.
|
|
& (c) 2007 