Toon, Red cedar
Toona ciliata

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

NB Naming of plant confused. A large spreading tree. It loses its leaves. It grows 15-25 m high. The trunk is thick. The bark is dark grey and rough. It cracks into squares. The leaves are large and compound. They can be 90 cm long and have 10-14 pairs of narrow leaflets. These are 15 cm long. They have unequal sides. They taper to the tip. The edges are wavy. The veins are light green. The flowers are bell shaped. They are small and white. They occur in long sprays. The fruit are brown capsules. They split open in a star shape. The seeds have wings.

There are 15 Toona species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows up to 1,850 m above sea level in East Africa. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 1000 m altitude. In XTBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, East Africa, Eswatini, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kashit-ka, Kuruk, Latsai, Mahaneem, Mahanim, Mai-yum, Malarveppu, Mandurike, Mathagiri, Moulmein cedar, Nandichettu, Nandivriksha, Poma, Santhanavembu, Sendrella, Taung-tama, Tawtama, Thevatharam, Thit-kado, Todu, Toon, Tooni, Tun, Tundu, Tuni, Tunna, Tunumaram

Synonyms

Cedrela australis F. Mueller; Cedrela toona Roxb.; Toona australis (F. Muell.) Harms; and others