Eetbare tuin-edible garden Toona sinensis Flamingo - Onion soup tree

• Article number: TOOSIN02

Toona sinensis Flamingo is also known by the names Cedrela sinensis Flamingo, Chinese mahogany and Onion soup tree. This special tree originates from the North-West of China.
The wood of this tree is widely used because it is easy to process and smells wonderful.

The young leaves and shoots of the plant are also edible and taste somewhat spicy and like onion. It is highly recommended to cook with these fresh shoots, the taste is delicious.
During the months of April to October you can regularly use the young shoots with leaves. The aroma is very similar to French onion soup and very tasty.
The young leaves are initially orange/pink in color, which gives a great contrast to other trees that usually sprout green. This is also the reason why the tree is called Flamingo.
The leaf changes color to light green during the season.

The tree has a slightly permeable canopy and the pinnate leaves that give off a fine fragrance.
When the summer is warm, flowers will hang on the tree in July as hanging plumes.
In autumn the foliage turns spectacular to yellow. In winter the tree is deciduous.
She likes a spot from partial shade to sunny.

Makes no demands on the soil and does not require pruning. After many years, this tree can reach a height of more than 15 meters without pruning. Height without pruning after 10 years is about 4 meters.
Only if you want to apply topiary this is possible in the spring and summer, then shorten the longest shoots considerably. You can then keep the Toona as a shrub. If you prune during the spring and summer, you can process the young shoots again in the kitchen.
Winter hardiness zone 6b (-20ºC).