Beef and Onion Tree

Botanical Name: Toona sinensis

Common Names: Beef and Onion Plant, Chinese Toon, Chinese Mahogany

Beef and Onion Plant is a fascinating perennial tree vegetable native to Asia that handles Perth conditions with ease if protected from summer heat. Famous for its young tender shoots that carry a rich, savory taste remarkably like beef and onions or French onion soup, it’s a huge staple in Asian cuisine and a must-have for food forest enthusiasts.

The tree puts on a stunning display in spring as new growth emerges in vibrant shades of bronze and pink before turning to a lush green.

Features:

Ideal prune height range: 2-3m (easily kept as a pollarded bush for simple harvesting)

pH growing conditions: 6.0 to 7.0

Shade or full sun: Full sun to partial shade

Minimum pot year 5: 45L pot

Time: Ready to harvest shoots in year 1-2

Toona sinensis is fast-growing, deciduous, and hardy once settled in. While it can naturally grow into a large canopy tree, it responds brilliantly to heavy annual pruning, which keeps it at a compact, manageable height while encouraging a massive flush of tasty new shoots every spring. The young shoots can be stir-fried, boiled, mixed into omelettes, or used anywhere you want a burst of rich umami flavour. It thrives in well-draining soil with regular summer water.

Interesting Notes:

The young leaves are packed with vitamins, iron, and antioxidants, making it one of the most nutritious perennial tree greens you can grow.

Because the savory flavour comes purely from aromatic compounds in the foliage, it acts as an incredible natural seasoning plant straight from your garden.

Limited stock. Pickup from Parkwood, WA. Delivery to Perth Metro only. Postage WA wide

Keywords: Beef and Onion plant, Toona sinensis, Chinese toon, perennial vegetable Perth, rare edible tree, rare fruit tree Perth