Toona sinensis ‘Flamingo’ – Chinese toon, Chinese mahogany

Description

Species tolerant to cold and drought and fast growing.

Toona sinensis or Chinese mahogany, as it was commonly known since 1990, is highly valued for its wood; very durable and easily crafted, it has become ideal for use in the manufacture of furniture.

The species, as its name suggests, is native to China, but also found in Nepal, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

Leaves and buds are used as a vegetable called hsiang chun ya (xiang chun ya). Its wood is used as incense in temples due to its delicate aroma

During the last decade, protected cultivation (in greenhouses) was developed and widely used so that during the Chinese New Year holiday, the spice can be offered in gourmet restaurants of Asian cuisine. The young shoots are exceptionally aromatic and rich in lipids.

There is currently a strong market for export-type products derived from toona sinensis; such as preserves, canned, dehydrated, among others.

A large, multi-purpose, extremely ornamental tree.

As well as its attractive foliage, toona sinensis produces sweetly scented flowers and their fruits in the form of capsules containing winged seeds. These, along with the bark and roots of the tree, are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.

It prefers its cultivation in sandy and fertile soil, however it is tolerant to occasional humidity and is not demanding as to the type of soil, as long as it is well drained.

A magnificent specimen, with indisputable attributes, to cultivate very rare, a beautiful acquisition for our collection.