Fig, doum-palm, and chinaberry trees grow in the area. The neem tree is very similar in appearance to its relative, the Chinaberry ("Melia azedarach"). The main utility of chinaberry is its timber. The community is likely named after local chinaberry trees. Swietenia is a genus of trees in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae. It was renamed "China Creek" for the chinaberry that grew on its banks. It was named for a spring in a chinaberry grove. They go to the treehouse in the Chinaberry tree, and decide to camp out there. It was named for a cluster of chinaberry trees planted for shade. Chinaberry fruit was used to prevent insect larvae from growing in the fruit. The chinaberry trees that gave the community its name are rare in the area today. They then go to an old treehouse, which is propped up in a Chinaberry tree. A bolt struck a tall chinaberry tree at the edge of the field. Vintage Books published Crowell's memoir, "Chinaberry Sidewalks", in 2011.