time in subfreezing weather. In Kenya the trees have been grown by farmers and used as fodder trees. The leaves can be fed to cattle to improve milk yields and improve farm incomes. In Australia, particularly the suburbs of Melbourne, the tree is often used in nature strip plantings by local councils. The councils plant such trees for amenity reasons as well as environmental, social and economic benefits. Leaves have been used as a natural insecticide to keep with stored food, but must not be eaten as they are highly poisonous. Chinaberry fruit was used to prevent insect larvae from growing in the fruit. By placing the berries in drying apples (etc.) and keeping the fruit turned in the sun without damaging any of the chinaberry skin, the fruit will dry and not have insect larvae in the dried apples. A diluted infusion of leaves and trees has been used in the past to induce uterus relaxation. References Sources [arolus] (1753): Species Plantarum 1: 384–385. Tropicos - Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis, Missouri. (2005): Beija-flores (Aves, Trochilidae) e seus recursos florais em uma área urbana do Sul do Brasil [Hummingbirds (Aves, Trochilidae) and their flowers in an urban area of southern Brazil]. [Portuguese with English abstract] Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 22(1): 51–59. PDF fulltext. (2005): "Melia azedarach". In: Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas: 96–97. Version of 2005-SEP-05. PDF fulltext. (1997): "Melia azedarach". In: Poisonous Plants of North Carolina. Retrieved 2008-JAN-26. External links Melia azederach (PDF) SerTox: FAQ about toxic plants azedarach Drought-tolerant trees Flora of tropical Asia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Garden plants of Asia Garden plants of Australia Introduced plants of South America Naturalized trees of Alabama Ornamental trees Plants described in 1753 Poisonous plants Sapindales of Australia Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Trees of China Trees of Oceania