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Litchi Nut or click pic to enlarge Zone 9-10 Native to South China, Lychee is an attractive glossy leafed evergreen tree growing 25 to 40 feet. The tree grows compactly with a nice round top and spreading branches. It is related to the Golden Rain tree and the Akee fruit tree Lychee develops small green-white flowers which grow in panicles close to 12 inches long in June or July in South Florida. These panicles then produce very tasty edible 'nuts' borne in large, red clusters. The picture above was taken in late July 2000. Depending the variety, the nuts vary in size and at least 3 named types are grown in Florida
Mature fruits are bright red, rough, brittle and warty on the outside, with bright white delicious fruit inside, very nice to eat fresh out of hand. The appearance is like seeing clusters of strawberries hanging at the end of branch tips Lychee is highly prized by Oriental peoples for fresh eating and cooking You can open the red outer shell with your fingers. Inside you see a firm whitish pulp that is delicious and mildly acidic. The dried fruit is eaten like a raisin and is even sweeter than the fresh fruit This is a fine tree to consider in the landscape. Use it as a freestanding specimen or a framing tree or as a nice shade tree Plant in full sun. It likes sandy (well drained) soil amended with plenty of good organic soil, Water regularly to establish, mulch and be sure to feed properly, then expect carefree growth with ongoing reasonable care One "trick" for best fruit is to cut off ALL added (sprinkler/hose) water from August until flowering, which is approximately January in South Florida. The stress turns out to produce more flowering, more and better fruit |
