How to Grow Chinese Toon
Toona sinensis
Plant in full sun with well-drained fertile soil. The vivid red-pink new shoots that emerge in spring are the edible crop — harvest them at 10–15 cm before they turn green. Coppice or hard prune every winter to keep the tree small and maximise shoot production. Mulch annually and water during dry spells in the first few years. Once established, Chinese Toon is hardy and largely self-sufficient.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Apply a balanced general-purpose fertiliser in early spring before bud break. Top-dress with well-rotted compost annually. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes soft growth prone to pest damage.
Watch For
- Aphids on new shoots
- Box tree moth (in some regions)
- Canker
Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Needs at least 6 hours of direct sun daily for best growth and shoot production. Tolerates light partial shade but shoot quality and quantity are reduced.
Watering
Moderate; water regularly when young
Water regularly during the first two to three years after planting and during prolonged dry spells. Established trees are fairly drought-tolerant. Avoid waterlogged soil.
Fertilizing
Balanced feed in early spring; annual compost mulch
Apply a balanced general-purpose fertiliser in early spring before bud break. Top-dress with well-rotted compost annually. Excessive nitrogen promotes soft growth prone to aphids.
Pruning
Coppice or hard prune in late winter annually
Cut back hard every winter (February–March) before bud break to keep the tree at a manageable harvest height and stimulate a vigorous flush of edible new shoots. Remove any dead or crossing wood at the same time.
Spacing
5–8 m apart
Allow 5–8 m between trees if growing as standards. Coppiced trees grown for shoots can be planted 2–3 m apart in a productive row, as they are kept small by annual pruning.
Support
Not required for established trees
Young trees may need a stake for the first year or two in exposed positions. Coppiced stools do not require support.
