Unique, lovely park tree that bears some resemblance to Ailanthus altissima. Grows vertically at first but later becomes broader. The smooth, brownish grey bark becomes grooved later. The twigs are a coppery green and have soft hair. When damaged, the bark and leaves give off an unpleasant odour. The imparipinnate leaves are 40 – 75 cm long and consist of 20 – 26 leaf segments. These are elongated, 8 - 13 cm in size, bare and glossy, dark green on top. The leaves are light green and hairy along the veins on the underside. Small, unpleasant-smelling white flowers appear in pendulous plumes up to 50 cm long. After flowering, a woody capsule with winged seeds develops. Toona sinensis only flowers during hot summers. 'Flamingo' is a lovely cultivar with leaves that are pink when they emerge. Toona sinensis has a brownish-grey bark that flakes off when the tree is older. The flaking platelets bend somewhat outwards. Bark and leaf give off an unpleasant smell when damaged.