The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

I have been asked to help with identification of a self-sown sapling on a property adjacent to the Herbert Forest at Waianakarua in Otago. The specimen has reached about 1.3 metres in height, but has not yet flowered or produced fruit, which makes identification a bit harder. Can anyone recognise the leaf pattern though and help with identification (and whether this is 'friend' or 'foe'!) ?

Looking more closely - with a magnifier - at the juvenile foliage, these appear to be compound leaves, comprising eleven or so leaflets. Could it be a member of the ash family (Fraxinus), I wonder?

Looks a lot like Melia azerdirach to me.

Thank you, Paul, for your suggestion.
With kind regards,
Geoff Cutfield

I think Paul is correct. I'm not sure how readily it spreads but it certainly produces a wealth of fruit in Hawkes Bay. That said, they don't appear to be very attractive to birds and I can't remember ever seeing a wild tree locally.

I think I may have controlled one or two seedlings/saplings before. I remember it being a species someone was concerned about spreading on Motutapu, but I've not seen any serious invasive potential personally. I can only really speak from experience in Auckland and Northland, though.

Thank you, Mike and Paul, both. I'll post again when the sapling has matured sufficiently to flower (? spring next year).
With kind regards,
Geoff Cutfield

In our area it grows very quickly and is popular as a street tree, notwithstanding the fact that the berries are said to be poisonous.

Hi Geoff,
By all means wait for it to flower but this looks exactly like spring growth on ash to me. It appears to have opposite leaves, Melia is supposed to be alternate and bi - tri-pinnate.
Leaflets seem a bit broad for Fraxinus excelsior could be any of the other three common species (ornus, velutina, pennsylvanica). In parts of the South Island ash are every bit as weedy as sycamore.

Whoops. In any event it seems not to be a native!