Litchi chinensis

[MattyB]

Do these take full sun in California? Does anyone add acid to the soil? Thanks for the help.

[LJG]

Matt, Mardy has some of these in full sun and they do great. Fruit is nice but not sure if he adds "acid to the soil".

[MattyB]

So full sun is ok. Thanks Len.

[aussiearoids]

Very tasty fruits , a real Christmas treat here in Qld . lok out for the 'chicken tounge' cultivars or Salathiel .

They grew very well in red volcanic soils around Childers in sub-tropical climate . Have heard of them growing in warm temperate NSW .. they are propagated by marcotting or air-layering a method developed by the Chinese thousands of years ago .

[Central Floridave]

Litchi will grow in shade, however they need full sun for flower and fruit. They do like acidic soil. They can get very large so don't plant close to a house or under power lines. Cold tolerant down to around 27 or 28F.

[SubTropicRay]

Dave, they can take more cold than that. There are many large, mature specimens in south Tampa that withstood the worst the 1980's could throw at them.

[Jeff Searle]

I'm proud to say, as we speak one of two bushes that I have is holding lots of small, still green fruit. It's the first time it's fruiting. So, were really happy. It's in full sun and loves the acidic soil here.

Jeff

[MattyB]

Good info all. Thank you so much.

[Central Floridave]

The 89 freeze severely cut back the litchie here on Merritt Island. But, the groves did bounce back. It took a decade for the trees to get back to fruiting age. I have friends in Titusville who lost their lychee at 27 degrees. I'm sure it varies like any other plant.

A dry period in Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan, helps in the blooming. I have the Mauritius, sweet clif, sweetheart, hak ip, brewster, and emperor varieties.

A freeze event helps in the blooming as well.

luv da lychee...

[outerfringe]

I wouldn't have thought the dry period we have in Mar/ Apr would enhance the flowering- mine seems to produce weak, withered looking flowers in the current dry spell, so I thought it would need irrigation.

Do guys have any hints for good fruit in Ctrl Fla...? Mine's in a sandy leach field runoff...I don't water it, the leaves stay nice dark green...but...doesn't produce well....

PS- we had one short freeze here of 31 degrees....only effect on my 12' tree was the new tender growth was killed off...

[Jeff Searle]

I would like to try some air layers on my tree. These take pretty easy? Mine is big enough now so I could try a few. I'm in the middle of putting close to 100 air layers on my crotons, so all the material is out and would be ready to go. Thanks,

Jeff

[Central Floridave]

Lychee air layers easy, but it takes a lot longer time than croton! Since you have a nursery you will have better luck than I have had.

[Central Floridave]

here is developing fruit on my Mauritius.

[Central Floridave]

This tree is going to get hack-racked after fruiting season. Its starting to grow into the telephone/cable lines. It has another ten years before it will be in the power lines. But, I planted this knowing that eventually I will have to top it off. The time has come!

[BeerPlant]

Man thats one serious tree! If you dont mind me asking how old is it? I've tried a couple here in Valrico but they both kicked the bucket here due to the freeze and small size. Does it give you fruit every year?

Bill

This tree is going to get hack-racked after fruiting season. Its starting to grow into the telephone/cable lines. It has another ten years before it will be in the power lines. But, I planted this knowing that eventually I will have to top it off. The time has come!

[cagary]

I have a large 15 year old tree here in Trabuco Canyon in full sun. It rarely fruits, but this year it has more flowers on it than I've ever seen. Maybe I'll get lucky this year.

I fertilize it with cotton seed meal because of its low salt properties. Lychee leaves hate salt.

[Central Floridave]

The tree is around ten years old. Lychee are famous for being alternate bearers. This tree last year didn't even flower. I typically get a couple five gallon buckets full from this one. The variety is mauritius and it is a commercial variety due to its a more reliable bearer of fruit. I can vouch for that. It is more reliable. Hak ip seems to come in second. And I just started growing sweetheart and they seem to do pretty good as well. Basically the lychee is an alternate bearer. I've found that your chance of fruit goes up if they go through a drought in the winter. Last winter I got 12 inches of rain in December and it didn't fruit. This winter about 2 inches in total. Also, after it does fruit, cut back the flower stems 6 inches back. Supposedly this allows the next year's new growth harden up and become productive the next spring. I never water my lychee and fertilizer can burn a young tree. Its hard to get a young lychee established in a windy spot. So, plant some temp. wind block hedges for it (hibiscus). They like acidic soil, lots of mulch. Not too much fertilizer, they are slow growers and you want them to be slow. Very pretty ornamental trees, so if you don't get fruit at least you get to look at a pretty green tree!

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Dooley,

The Arboretum has two Litchi, (one very large) and we do not have acid soil, nor do we amend it for them. They are growing fine. The small one surprised me by putting on a good crop of fruit this year as it is in shade for half the year.

Our soil has a lot of limestone going on here. In fact, the big one is only a few feet from a parking lot (crushed and compacted limestone base under asphalt) they built over its root system a few years ago. Litchi are not a yearly fruiter here, more every second or third year.

Jerry

[siafu]

Hi,

Cold stress is also very important to trigger blooming in lychee. Lychees generally fruit poorly or none at all in

the tropics at sea level due to lack of winter cold.

They are full sun trees, so it really is surprising that one fruited despite being shaded for so long.

... The small one surprised me by putting on a good crop of fruit this year as it is in shade for half the year....

[Al in Kona]

Matty, for good and proven varieties for the San Diego area you should contact some CRFG (Calif. Rare Fruit Growers). They can enlighten you on how to best grow them. I know several members who have big fruiting trees in your area. If you need names and numbers PM me. If the small trees are planted in a sometimes windy area they benefit from a wire cage with shade cloth around for the first year or so until well established. Good luck and enjoy the fruit.

[Gtlevine]

Come on MattyB, I have a gorgeous Lychee in the hottest part of my garden and it is doing great. Last year it fruited for the first time, you need to be more observant on garden tours.

Actually, you should not plant any Lychee Tree's, your garden is already beginning to resemble mine more than I would like. I say you should plant Apples and Oranges.

Gary

[MattyB]

haha, got apples, got oranges, now just need those big curlys, butia hybrids, and a big gate with the letter 'B' on it.