Australian Red Cedar

Australian Red Cedar (Toona ciliata) is the rainforest tree behind the finest colonial furniture, and one of the few Australian natives that colours up before winter. In a garden it settles at around 15m tall and 10m wide, growing fast enough to throw real shade within a few seasons. Give it an open site and it becomes the tree the garden is planned around.

Why you'll love it

• A native tree with autumn colour. The leaves turn russet and gold before dropping, which almost no other Australian rainforest tree does.
• Fast shade. In warm, humid gardens with reasonable soil it puts on serious height each year, so the canopy arrives sooner than with most large trees.
• Bare in winter, generous in summer. Deciduous habit means shade over the hottest months and sunlight reaching the house when you want it.
• Birds work the flowers. Sprays of small white flowers in spring bring honeyeaters in, and the copper red new growth is a feature in itself.

Where it works best

Large shade tree. This is a tree for acreage, a deep back yard or a rural block. Allow at least 10m of clear space from buildings, paving and services, because the roots are vigorous.

Feature planting. As a single specimen on open lawn it develops the broad buttressed trunk and layered canopy that made it famous.

Driveways and avenues. On a long rural drive, space trees 12m to 15m apart so each crown can spread without crowding.

Growing Australian Red Cedar in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It tolerates humidity, heat and wind, but only light frost, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and hard frosting southern gardens are not suitable. Young trees are the most frost sensitive.

Soil. It came from deep rainforest loam and performs best on rich, well drained ground with plenty of organic matter. Work compost through a wide planting area and mulch 100mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers. It is not a drought tree, so dry inland gardens will need irrigation to hold its growth rate. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer.

Pruning. Train a single leader early and remove competing shoots. Be aware that the cedar tip moth attacks the growing tips of young trees, particularly in the tropics and subtropics, causing bushy multi stemmed growth. Cutting damaged tips back to a strong bud and reselecting a leader is the usual response.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in 200mm, sold in packs of six, and in 100L. The 200mm plants are young seedlings, ideal for a revegetation run or anyone planting several trees at once. The 100L is an established tree with a formed trunk and a head of branches, for presence on day one.

Being deciduous, it may arrive leafless in winter, which is normal rather than a fault. Trees are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse Australian native trees
• How to choose a canopy tree for shade
• Compare fast growing shade trees
• The best time of year to plant a tree

Common questions

How big does it really get?

In wild rainforest it can exceed 40m, which is where the intimidating numbers come from. In an open garden with no competition for light it typically settles around 15m tall and 10m wide.

Will it survive frost?

Only light frost, and young trees are vulnerable even to that. If your garden drops below freezing regularly, this is not the tree for you.

What is the cedar tip moth?

A native moth whose larvae bore into the soft growing tips of young red cedars, mostly in warmer coastal districts. It rarely kills a tree, but it can spoil the leading shoot, so check new growth and reselect a leader when needed.