Melia azedarach, commonly known as Chinaberrry tree, Persian lilac, white cedar, Texas umbrella, bead-tree, Cape lilac, Ceylon cedar, Pride of India, malai vembu, bakain, zanzalakht  and dharek or dhraik. Cape lilac, is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, that is native to Pakistan, India, Indochina, Southeast Asia and Australia.
The adult tree has a rounded crown, and commonly measures attains a height of 7-12 metres, however in exceptional circumstances M. azedarach can attain a height of 45 metres. The flowers are small and fragrant, with purple or lilac petals. The fruit is a drupe, marble-sized, light yellow at maturity, hanging on the tree all winter, and gradually becoming wrinkled and almost white. The leaves are up to 50 cm long, the leaflets are dark green above and lighter green below.
The main utility of chinaberry is its timber. This is of medium density, and ranges in colour from light brown to dark red. Melia azedarach in keeping with other members of the family Meliaceae has a timber of high quality, but as opposed to many almost-extinct species of mahogany it is under-utilised. Seasoning is relatively simple in that planks dry without cracking or warping and are resistant to fungal infection.
The hard, 5-grooved seeds were widely used for making rosaries and other products requiring beads, before their replacement by modern plastics.
Some hummingbirds like Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Glittering-bellied Emerald and Planalto Hermit have been recorded to feed on and pollinate the flowers, these only take it opportunistically.
Fruits are poisonous to humans if eaten in quantity. However, like those of the Yew tree, these toxins are not harmful to birds, who gorge themselves on the fruit, eventually reaching a "drunken" state. Leaves have been used as a natural insecticide to keep with stored food, but must not be eaten as they are highly poisonous. A diluted infusion of leaves and trees has been used in the past to induce uterus relaxation.