pride-of-India
Noun: 1. A tropical tree (Lagerstroemia speciosa) native to regions of Asia and Australia, valued for its timber and often cultivated in other warm climates for its large, brightly colored flowers. 2. A deciduous tree (Melia azedarach) native to parts of Asia, known for its clusters of fragrant, lilac-colored flowers and small yellow berries, often planted as an ornamental or shade tree in other regions.
- The pride-of-india lining the avenue was in full, spectacular bloom.
- Botanists study the pride-of-india for its durable timber, known as pyinma.
- Although beautiful, the berries of this type of pride-of-india are poisonous to humans.
- The term is used in horticulture and botanical contexts to refer to these specific, non-native ornamental trees when grown outside their original habitat.
- It can appear in descriptive writing to evoke a sense of tropical or subtropical landscaping.
- Queen's Crape Myrtle: A common name for .
- Chinaberry Tree: A common name for .
- Pyinma: The name for the timber from .
- For : Queen's crape myrtle, giant crape myrtle, banaba.
- For : Chinaberry, bead tree, Persian lilac.
This common name refers to two distinct botanical species: 1. The primary reference is to Lagerstroemia speciosa, a tree prized for both its ornamental flowers and its timber. 2. A secondary, distinct reference is to Melia azedarach, a tree valued for its shade and ornamental flowers but whose fruits are inedible. Context usually clarifies which species is intended.
- native to Asia, Australia, and East Indies, where it provides timber called pyinma; used elsewhere as an ornamental for its large showy flowers
- tree of northern India and China having purple blossoms and small inedible yellow fruits; naturalized in the southern United States as a shade tree