Chinese Toon Trees

Chinese Toon Trees [Toona sinensis] or [Cedrella sinensis]

This is a beautiful pink tree at Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens, in Santa Barbara. There was no name on it like most of the plants in the gardens, and every time we go lately we see people trying to figure out what it is. Thanks to the Internet we were able to track it down.

Apparently the bright pink foliage is a springtime thing. If you look closely at the plants you can see them starting to fade to green at places.

This plant is actually used as a vegetable and in traditional Chinese medicine. 'Course that would not be the woody parts. They use them as young shoots, or even smaller, like bean sprouts.

www.ImagesOfSantaBarbara.com

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Feedback for Chinese Toon Trees:

#1fan	April 20, 2006 12:59 pm
Pink Trees too beautiful to eat.
I love these trees. They remind me of something I'd see in a dream. The color is so unexpected I'd think they sky wouldnt be blue but maybe teal with golden clouds. Anyway,they are way too beautiful to eat. However did you figure out what they are?, they look like birch trees or very tall Heavenly bamboo.

KADRA	December 13, 2006 7:51 am
Toon Leaf is it antioxidant ?
Toon leaf what is the chinese name? I read an article and says it is an antioxidant content and anti cancer benefit therefore i am looking for the chinese name if possible . Thank You

Bill Heller	December 13, 2006 10:04 pm
Antioxidant
I don't know what the chinese name is but... From what I can find it seems to be rich in Vitamin-A, and some kinds of Vitamin-A from plants [provitamin A carotenoids] (as opposed to A found in animals [preformed vitamin A]) "have been shown to function as antioxidants in laboratory studies; however, this role has not been consistently demonstrated in humans" according to the National Institute of Health... http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp If you are looking for an anti-cancer treatment I have heard good things about Essiac Tea. Although they say there is no "clinical proof in humans" there is also not much motivation for clinical studies of herbs that you could buy over the counter and can not be patented by a large corporation. But, it could hardly hurt.

Ci Ci	October 9, 2007 7:54 am

The Chinese Name for Toon Tree is ???

Bill Heller	October 10, 2007 5:54 pm
Chinese Name
Thanks Ci Ci! For anyone curious who does not have the right fonts installed to read that...

cleo want	December 26, 2008 10:31 pm
toon tree
I very much like to plant a chinese toon tree in a big pot on my deck. Do you know how can i get a small toon tree?

SUSAN JI	April 26, 2009 1:56 pm
chinese toon
i very like this tree,i have been usa over 10 years ,never come back to china,in my childhood,my father's house have a big chinese toon in back yard,i miss that.can you please tell me where did got that picture,so l can go to there take look at that and spend some time with that?thanks

Bill Heller	April 26, 2009 9:59 pm
RE: chinese toon
Hi Susan! This is at Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens. The address of the gardens is 1500 Santa Barbara Street in Santa Barbara. But it takes up the entire square block between Santa Barbara, Garden, Arrellaga and Micheltorena streets. The Toon Trees are closest to the Garden/Arrellaga corner of the Garden. But they are not pink this time of year, so they don't stand out quite as much. Let me know if you have trouble finding them. -Bill

Bill Heller	October 23, 2009 11:06 am
RE: Toon Trees
Hi Pat, I'd say you stand a pretty good chance of getting them to survive. They are deciduous (loose their leaves in the winter) so that tells me they are not limited to tropical areas. And from what I can find, this one "Toona sinensis" is the most cold tolerant. -Bill Heller

Helena Turinski	October 6, 2010 5:48 am
An extraordinary pink tree
Hi Bill, Just wanted to say thanks for posting your photo and a description of this amazing Chinese toon tree. (I googled "pink tree" and yours was the first pic that matched.) I saw my first one today in an inner Melbourne (Australia) suburb, and was amazed. I had no idea what it was, but suspected it was of Asian origin; it made me think of some of the recent beautiful Asian animated films, like Spirited Away. Cheers.

Bill Heller	October 7, 2010 12:27 am
RE: An extraordinary pink tree
Hi Helena! That's excellent, always great to hear how people found the site and I'm glad to help identify it. It is an absolutely beautiful tree, and the pink phase is VERY short. We actually have tried to stop by this tree each spring since I took this shot and we never seem to hit it when it is this totally pink. The conditions must have been perfect the year I took this. Oooo Australia! I've always wanted to see Australia! Hopefully some day soon! -Bill

Karen Vanderpols	November 18, 2010 4:41 am
Toon Tree
They are most beautiful, for years I always wanted one and then somebody gave me one as a gift, I planted it in my front yard for all to admire, but somebody liked it more than me, a few weeks later I came out to a perfect square hole and no tree. Some people, oh well I hope they are enjoying it now :-) This was in Hastings New Zealand

Bill Heller	November 18, 2010 11:50 am
RE: Toon Tree
Wow! People are crazy, good to know it's not just here... I think. You're nicer than I am. I think I'd put another one in and put a camera (or a bear trap) beside it for when they come back to try to make it a matching set. :-) And now I'm fantasizing about a trip to the south pacific again! I'm definitely going to need more ram for my camera when I make that trip! -Bill

Julie	October 27, 2011 1:42 pm
Toon Trees
I have just returned to Ausralia from NZ's North Island where we saw SO many of these trees in the Coromandel region. I had never [to my knowledge] seen one before and went into a garden centre to ask about them - these were Cederlla Sinensis Flamingo - which obviously grow in cooler climates. I am amazed there is this Toon Tree site - thanks for photo and I am pleased to read someone has one in Melbourne Australia as that increases my chances of getting one for my garden in Sydney.

Trish	October 1, 2012 1:45 am
Toon Tree
I found one in Auckland and this is the first time I had even heard about them. I took a root and planted it but not sure if it will survive. Any info on how to look after them??

David Williams	November 1, 2012 6:21 pm
Toon
Yep, got one cluster in our back corner, beautifully pink at the moment - loves the Rotorua (New Zealand) climate, leaves turn from pink to green later in the season - AND looks good in the photographs!

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Chinese Toon Trees

Chinese Toon Trees [Toona sinensis] or [Cedrella sinensis]