Melia Azedarach is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, that is native to India, southern China and Australia. In South Africa it is commonly but erroneously called Syringa, which is in fact the lilac genus. The genus Melia includes four other species, occurring from southeast Asia to northern Australia. They are all deciduous semi-evergreen trees which can be purchased at local plant nurseries and planted in warm climates in the US where rainfall is plentiful or access to water is readily available (requires lots of water). The flowers are small and fragrant, with five pale pink to purple or lilac petals, growing in clusters. The fruit is a drupe, marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming wrinkled and almost white. In Australian rain-forests the trees can attain a height of almost 150 feet.
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