Melia adazarach 'Jade Snowflake'

Melia adazarach 'Jade Snowflake' (Variegated China Berry) ia a medium sized, deciduous tree with large, green compound leaves heavily speckled with white.  Melia 'Jade Snowflake' is a very fast growing, medium sized tree with very large compound leaves (ferny looking) that are heavily speckled and splashed with white.  The Spring color is the most intense and often the plants appear nearly pure white - as the temperature gets warmer, the color can fade to mostly green with a few white dots (I think color would hold all summer in the PNW).  Melia 'Jade Snowflake' produces large clusters of small, fragrant, purplish flowers in the spring, followed by marble sized golden colored fruits that persist through the winter.  In warmer parts of the country, this plant is considered invasive and I have seen 'Jade Snowflake' reseed in areas that had ample mulch around the base of the trees for the seedlings to establish in.  My largest plant has been in the ground now for about 25 years and has grass growing right up to the trunk - zero seedlings ever found here in the garden.  Melia 'Jade Snowflake' is probably best used as a specimen tree where a smallish to medium sized tree is needed or in a small grove planting.  It does not produce a lot of shade, so its easy to grow other plants under its canopy.  Melia 'Jade Snowflake' can be cut back very hard (to the ground basically) and grown and a woody "annual" - this will produce a plant that is intensely variegated.  Thanks to Mike Chelednik for use of his photo.

• HARDINESS:  zones 7-10
• EXPOSURE:  part shade, sun
• SIZE: 20-40'
• SHIPPING SIZE:  1/2 gallon pot.     15-18" plant.