Toon / Australian red cedar

Toona ciliata

Beng:/Hindi Toon   

A fast-growing speeding deciduous tree with large, beautiful feather compound leaves with many (usually 7 pair) long narrow leaflets.

Bark: Thin, rough, dark grey brown

Leaf: Large (1’-3’), feather compound with 5-10 pairs of 2’’-7’’ long leaflets (7 most common), unequal in sides and tapering.

Flower: Small, white, honey-scented in open clusters from end of the branches

Fruit: Small capsule up to 1’’ long with several winged seeds

Season: Leaves fall in beginning of cold weather and new reddish leaves appear in Dec-Jan. Flowers appear in Feb-Mar. Fruits mature by end of rainy season

Range/habitat: Native of most of the hotter parts of India, Malay peninsula to Australia, but probably not a true native of Kolkata

Where to find: Though a very good avenue tree, surprisingly uncommon in Kolkata. One specimen in Victoria Memorial Garden GPS 22.54500,88.34414

In Rabindra Sarobar, the Miyawaki plantation has a few young Toon trees. GPS: 22.50943, 88.35659