We have a Melia azedarach tree in our front garden and it has grown enormously since we first moved in over 22 years ago. We had it trimmed a few years back and the arborist told me he would refuse to cut it down because it was such a beautiful tree.
In the past year or two I have working hard on being more aware and noticing more and my attention on this tree has increased. Then in the last few months I have been reading Juliet Batten’s blog http://seasonalinspiration.blogspot.com and she too is watching Melia trees and we have shared our observations and findings.
I had, until recently known the tree as the Bead tree and I have just learnt why it is so named, thanks to Juliet. The green seeds that are visible on my tree right now, contain a hard, five sided kernel or bead and these beads are used to make rosary beads.
The word “azedarach” comes from a contraction of the Persian vernacular “azaddhirakt” or noble tree.
I have a new and deeper appreciation for my Melia and the small gifts it gives to spiritual seekers and for its ancient noble status.
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Lovely to see that little circle of bead-seeds. I’ve been collecting more this week, from a tree in the street that is producing abundantly.
The storms over the past week or more have bought lots of the green seeds down but many are tenaciously hanging on despite storm force winds.
Do you know how they make a long thread of these beads and thus form the rosary?
Drilling holes in the small beads could be tricky.
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