Plant Min Zone: 5b
Plant Max Zone: 9b
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Average
Soil Quality: Average
Bloom Season: Insignificant
Flower Color: Insignificant
Berry / Fruit Color: Insignificant
Spring Foliage Color: Reddish Green, Dark Green
Summer Foliage Color: Dark Green
Fall Foliage Color: Yellow
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: Yes
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils
Height: 6' - 10'
Width: 6' - 10'
Growth Rate: Medium
Service Life: Tree: Service life varies
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: N.A.
Yearly Trimming Tips: Shrub Normally Winter-kills so trim to 3-6" off Ground in Winter or Early Spring: Blooms on New Wood.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: None
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Easy to Eat Edibles
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: Occasional Problems
Plant Limitations: May get Occasional Winter-kill
Chinese Toon (Toona sinensis) is a rare shrub-like tree from China in the mahogany family known for its edible leafy foliage. Foliage has an onion a flavor and can be eaten fresh or mixed into stir-fry vegetable recipes. When emerging in the spring, new foliage is a bright red to pink color and is enhanced by cooler weather in the spring. Bi-pinnate foliage deepens to a medium to dark green as it unfurls throughout the summer and has a strong resemblance in appearance to Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Fall color is a gorgeous yellow lasting for a week or two. Chinese Toon is useful in the edible landscape as a "vegetable tree". Also very attractive in the landscape, it can form a background shrub, a specimen shrub, or a small colony. Grow in full sun and just about any well drained soil for best results. Although this grows into a "tree" in southern climates, it will typically freeze down to the ground each year in Lawrence Kansas. (zone 6a) The only maintenance is pruning winter-killed growth to the ground. New rapidly growing water sprout shoots will emerge by mid spring. New foliage is the most tasty to eat, so this works out great for harvesting when grown as a "vegetable tree". Chinese Toon can also be grown as a potted plant moved into a garage or dark basement: it doesn't seem to suffer from being root bound in a pot.