Bastard Cedar
Toona sinensis
Mahogany family (Meliaceae)
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Themes
Crown jewel in the Botanical Garden Arboretum Oudenbosch.
The wood is very durable, easily worked and takes a good polish. It is a very valuable timber, resembling mahogany, and is used for making furniture, window frames etc. True mahogany comes from trees of the genera Khaya (African mahogany) and Swietenia (American mahogany), but almost all these tree species are now protected.
Young shoots and leaves are eaten in China and Malaysia. Leaves and shoots, when cooked, have a taste that is said to resemble onions. It is popular in China and rich in vitamin A. The leaves can be used as a tea substitute.
The wood is delicately scented and is burnt in temples as an incense.
Details
| Description: | Tree, can reach 40 m in height with 20 m tall trunk and 1.5 m girth, buttressed with a grey to dark brown, fissured bark. |
|---|---|
| Distributions: | North and west china |
| Habitat: | Primary montane forests, especially on steep and unforested hillsides, sometimes near streams; also occurring in ravines, mixed or secondary forests, disturbed areas; between 100-2900 m in altitude |
| Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic decidous) |
| Hardiness: | 5 - 14 f (hardy - cold winter) |
| Flowering period: | Juni - juli |
| Flower color: | White |
| Notes on flowers: | Flowers in pendulous panicles up to 50 cm in length. |
| Fruiting period: | September - oktober |
| Fruit color: | Not applicable |
| Notes on fruits: | Woody capsule 2-3 cm in length that splits to release 5 winged seeds |
| At its best: | Mei - juli |
Sources
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200012513,http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Toona+sinensis,
Dendrologie van de lage landen - Jan de Koning en Wim van den Broek, Ongekend - Ronald Houtman,
www.efloras.org Flora of China, Bomen hun vorm en kleur - Dr. B.K. Boom en H. Kleijn