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Toona sinensis (Chinese Mahogany) - A deciduous tree known for its vertical stems bearing pink, almost fluorescent, new growth. The 1-2-foot-long leaves with pointed oblong leaflets emerge in many tones of red, in good years bright pink, and then turn to green with age. It typically grows 15-20 feet tall but often is cut to the ground to maintain an interesting and colorful lower planting. On older wood the spring-blooming white flowers are known to hang on long clusters below the foliage, but we have not seen this happen even on our 40-year-old specimen planting.
Plant in full sun to light shade and water regularly to occasionally. This plant is best cut to the ground every few years or trim down alternate stems to maintain size within the garden. This plant spreads by rhizomes so be prepared to dig runners to prevent spread or plant inside a root barrier. The foliage and would has a salty aroma that that while not unpleasant, is not appreciated by some people. In good years this plant has foliage that emerges with incredible reddish pink colors. while in other years the new foliage is mostly a greenish white. We have been told that early fall irrigation can encourage the best new foliage colors.
Toona sinensis is native to eastern and southeastern Asia, from North Korea south through most of eastern, central and southwestern China to Nepal, northeastern India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and western Indonesia. The name for the genus comes from the Indian common name for the plant but it has long been known in the horticultural trade as Cedrela sinensis with the specific epithet referencing its origins in Asia. Its common names include Chinese Mahogany, Chinese Toon, or Red Toon. In China the young leaves and shoots are used as a vegetable called Hsiang Chun Ya (Xiang Chun Ya ) and it is also known there as a "tree vegetable". It is related to a South American tree, Cedrela fissilis which we continue to grow. Another familiar plant in the Meliaceae family is grown in California is the Chinaberry Tree (Melia azadarach) and the Azadirachta indica, that the popular biopesticide Neem Oil is made from, and the true Mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla, whose wood is used for furniture, musical instruments, ship building and other purposes, is in this same family.
The information displayed on this page about Toona sinensis is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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