Chinese cedar
Toona sinensis

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A deciduous tree. It grows 20-30 m tall. The trunk is 60-100 cm across. The trunk is straight with few branches. The leaves are 60 cm long. There are 10-24 leaflets along the stalks. The leaves have teeth along the edge. The leaflets are red-bronze when young and turn yellow before they fall. The flowers are cream and small. They have a scent. They occur in drooping panicles. These are 30 cm long. The fruit is a woody brown capsule. It is 3 cm long. There are several winged seeds.

There are 4 or 5 Toona species. They occur in Asia. Now Cedrela is an American genus and Toona is Asia and elsewhere. Chemical composition: Protein = 5.97%. Fat = 1.02%. Carbohydrate = 6.57%. Ash = 1.48%. Vitamin A = large quantities. Vitamin C = trace.

Where it is found

A subtropical plant. It is native to China. It grows on mountains between 800 and 2,000 m altitude. It suits subtropical and temperate climates. It needs deep loamy-sandy soil. It suits a pH of 5.5-8 and does well on calcareous soils. It suits hardiness zones 6-11. In Yunnan. In Sichuan. National Arboretum Canberra.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Britain, China, Europe, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Inner Mongolia, Japan, Korea, Korea N, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tasmania, Thailand, Tibet, USA, Vietnam

How it is used for food

Young leaves are eaten. They are boiled, mixed with vinegar and eaten with rice. They are also pickled. The leaves are eaten as a tea substitute. The young buds are blanched and eaten as a vegetable. Salted leaves are eaten cold with sesame oil and fresh bean curd. The fruit are edible.

It is a cultivated food plant. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, buds, leaves - tea, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds need extensive cold treatment for 2-3 months. Then they are soaked in warm water for 24 hours before sowing. They are best grown in a nursery and then transplanted. They can be grown by root cuttings.

Trees grow quickly. Leaves are continually harvested.

Its other names

Local names

Cedrela, Ch'amjuknamu, Chanchin, Chinese mahogany, Chinese toon, Chun Tsei Shue, Daaraluu, Fragrant chun, Fu mei rong, Gushi, Jimu, Main chen, Maiyoneng, Red toon, Suren, Surian tanam, Tong du, Tsaizime, Xianchun, Xiangchuan, Xuan su, Ye bu, Zong

Synonyms

Cedrela longifolia Wall. ex C. DC.; Cedrela serrata var. puberula C. DC.; Cedrela serrulata Miq.; Cedrela sinensis Juss.; and several others