The Tropical Grape Lychee Trees

What is a Lychee?

The lychee is a tropical and subtropical fruit that originated in Southern China. It’s also known as litchi, Chinese grape, and lichee. It’s a member of the soapberry family and is one of the most sought-after fruits in the world. The lychee tree is deciduous and grows 10-15 feet tall. It has simple leaves with serrated edges and fragrant white flowers that are pollinated by bees. The trees are self-pollinating, but cross-pollination can increase the yield. The lychee fruit is encased in a pink, red, or white rind. Once you peel back the rind, you’ll find a translucent white flesh with a single black seed in the centre.

Why Grow Your Lychee Trees?

If you have the space, it’s wonderful to have a few different types of fruit trees in your yard. In addition to being a great conversation piece, eating local, in-season produce is one of the best ways of getting your family to eat more fresh, nutritious food. You can also use your lychee trees to grow edible flowers. The blooms are edible and make a lovely garnish or decoration on top of desserts or in SDS. Lychee trees will require little to no maintenance once they’re established, and they can grow in many different soil types. These trees are also deciduous, which means they lose their leaves during the winter. This makes them a great choice if you live in an area that sees heavy snowfall.

Where to Grow Lychee Trees?

The lychee tree can be grown in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate areas. Ideally, you’ll want to plant your lychee trees in an area that has warm winters and hot, humid summers. Because the lychee tree is deciduous, it is more adaptable than evergreen trees, which lose their leaves during the cold winter months in temperate climates. Even if you live in an area that’s warmer, you should still plant your lychee trees in an area that gets an abundance of sun. Full sun is best for the health of your trees, but partial shade is fine if you’re in an extremely hot and humid area.

Growing Conditions for Lychee Trees

For best results, plant your lychee trees in well-drained, sandy loam soil that is high in organic matter. Lychee trees can tolerate a wide range of soil pH, but loam soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline is ideal. If your soil is too alkaline or low in organic matter, you can amend it with compost to increase your lychee trees’ chances of survival. They thrive in humid environments with a consistent temperature between 70-80°F. You can even grow lychee trees indoors, provided you have a humidifier to increase the humidity around the trees. Lychee trees need about 10-12 hours of sunlight per day, so make sure you have a place for them in your yard that gets enough sunlight.

How to Grow a Lychee Tree from Seed?

There are several different varieties of lychee trees you can grow from seed. Some of the most popular varieties include Mount Laurel, Abreeza, and Williams. You can purchase seeds from your local garden centre or online during the fall months. You can also find seeds for edible flowers that you can grow on your lychee trees. Sow your seeds directly into the soil at a depth of around one centimetre or up to the first set of leaves. Germination should happen within a few weeks. To help your seedlings get off to a good start, make sure you water them regularly and keep the soil around them moist.

Care and Maintenance of a Lychee Tree

Lychee trees should be fertilized with a balanced fertilizer once a month during their first growing season. After that, you can fertilize during their second growing season every other month. You should also water your lychee trees regularly. Water them once a week if you have an abundance of rainfall in your area. If you don’t see a lot of rain, you’ll need to water your trees at least once a week. You’ll also want to water your trees if they experience a drought. You can control pests like mealy bugs and thrips by spraying your trees with a mixture of water and dish soap. You’ll also want to prune your lychee trees. You can prune your trees to promote good airflow, or you can prune them to increase the number of fruits you get per tree.

Conclusion

The lychee is a special, exotic fruit that’s perfect for anyone with a tropical taste for adventure. Even though lychee is known for being challenging to grow, it’s worth it when you get to taste your first homegrown lychee. To grow your lychee tree, plant it in sandy loam soil that is high in organic matter. You can also grow your lychee trees indoors if you have a humidifier to increase the humidity around the trees. You’ll also need to water your trees regularly, especially if you don’t get much rainfall. You can also control pests and prune your trees to promote airflow and maximize the number of fruits per tree.