How To Grow Lychee from seed
Lychee seeds require certain conditions to sprout and bear fruit, but the process of seeding is quite simple so you can enjoy the various ways.
What Is Lychee?
Lychee is a tropical fruit that grows in the evergreen lychee tree (Litchi chinensis) which is indigenous south of China. But many cultivars are grown all over the world from the Indian subcontinent to Hawaii.
Lychee fruit has a vibrant red smooth, fibrous, and scaly outer shell that you can easily remove and reveal the soft and tart fruit, which is enclosed by a large lychee seed. Lychees develop in clusters comprising anywhere from three to fifty lychee fruits in a bunch. Fresh lychees are available in the majority of Asian markets, as well as some supermarkets.
Lychee trees: origins, blossom, and characteristics
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The Lychee tree (Litchi chinensis) is the sole species of the Genus of Litchi in the soapberry group (Sapindaceae). Lychee trees are indigenous in the southern tropical region of China and have been cultivated on rivers for more than 1,000 years. Nowadays, Litchi Chinensis is grown in Southeast Asia, Africa, Israel, Australia, and the Southern United States.
In its natural habitat, a lychee tree will grow to an average height of 10 to 15 meters. Young lychee trees can produce flowers that are delicate yellow on twigs which measure around 30 centimeters in length in spring. Each flower cluster could produce anything from 2 to 20 lychee fruits that ripen within sixty to eighty days. Lychee fruit is distinct by its deep red skin that has a rough texture.
Despite its appearance, however, the skin can be easily removed. The gelatinous white fruit of the lychee is sweet and is a reddish-brown lychee seed, which gave the lychee a different name”eyeball” fruit. In colder environments, lychees trees need to grow in a climate-controlled greenhouse all year long so that they can bear fruit.
When it comes to greenhouses, it’s essential to plant them in the ground. Fruiting in a tub isn’t feasible. Since they are evergreen Lychee plants keep their green leaves through the winter.
How to Grow Lychee From Seed
Lychee fruits are made up of one lychee seed which you can plant to grow more lychee fruits. Follow these steps to grow lychee seeds:
- 1. Save the lychee seeds. Take the fruit home to enjoy, and then keep the big, brown seed in the center. It is best to select fully ripe lychee (seek larger lychees that have an emerald-purple red rind) to ensure the possibility of viable lychee fruit.
- 2. Soak the lychee seeds for 3 days. Rinse the seed gently and then dry it using paper towels. Soak the lychee seeds in a small bowl that is filled up with hot water. The seed should be left for three days to rest for lychee seed germination, which aids in the process. The good news is that lychee seed germination is usually very reliable. Refill the water daily to keep it fresh, and when the outside of the seed begins to break the seed is ready to be planted.
- 3. Plant the lychee seedlings. Choose a container that has drainage holes that are about an inch tall, and then add the potting soil. Your soil must be acidic. The lychee seeds should be buried completely around an inch deep into the soil. It is important to replicate an environment that is subtropical for the growth of lychee trees, which is moist and warm. The pot should be kept in a warm area that is kept in the 70s and keep your growing lychee plants far from direct light. At the beginning of development, shade is the best.
- 4. Water and move the plant. Lychee trees require more water than your average houseplant. Make sure to water it every day, and then check the soil to determine how dry it is. If the leaves of lychees start to pop out of the earth, shift the pot towards more sunlight.
- 5. Monitor your plant’s growth. Lychee trees can get quite high, up to 10 feet. You’ll be able to trim leaves and branches off the top of the tree to keep it under control. Following the first year, you should report your plant and give it the space it needs. As it grows the plant will require more sunlight. Because of this, lychees tend to thrive in direct sunlight. Since they are evergreen trees that have adapted to humid climates in tropical regions, lychees flourish most efficiently in zones of hardiness 10 and 11.
How Long Does It Take for Lychee Trees to Grow From Seed?
Lychee trees could produce fruit within five, ten, and sometimes even two decades. The quality of the fresh lychee seeds and soil along with the rainfall and amount of sunlight can all influence the timing. Choose lychees that have dark red skin. Ripe lychee fruit is roughly the size of a golf ball. It is possible to pick the fruit all year long as the flesh will be soft and sweet after the fruit has matured.
4 Tips for Growing Lychee From Seed
Lychee trees are delicate and require regular care to develop. Use these suggestions to ensure your lychee tree is in good shape:
- Make sure the tree is in areas that have little winds. Lychee leaves and branches, particularly in their early stages are delicate. Wind can slow growth, so be sure to keep them in places protected from the wind.
- Be aware of bugs. Bear fruit trees are a magnet for insects. In Florida webworms and weevils are common, however, each region may be a magnet for its unique insects. Pesticides may harm trees over time So an ounce of water will be enough to eliminate the insects, or you can spray mites using Neem oil or insecticidal soap to eliminate these pests.
- Keep conditions consistent. Lychee requires constant warmth, sunshine, and watering. They thrive when temperatures are in the seventies, and possibly the lower eighties. Subtropical and tropical climates, with warm temperatures and a balance between sunlight and shade, as well as regular rain–are ideal for lychee trees.
- Keep your fruits within the fridge. If the tree is producing fresh fruit, cut the fruits off at the time they’re ripe. Then place them in the refrigerator to ensure their longevity and quality. They will last up to one week.
How to Use Lychee Fruit
This fruit is extremely versatile for cooking. It is possible to add lychee into smoothies, and fruit salads, or serve it as an ingredient in sorbets or Ice creams. It is also possible to use the fruit in the martini with lychee. Lychees contain high levels of Vitamin C as well as potassium as well as antioxidants.
Are lychees hardy?
The lychee trees are not suited to our climates. The tropical tree needs to be overwintered in temperatures of 5 to 15 degrees Celsius. For the plant to flower, the lychee tree must endure temperatures ranging from between 0 and 12 degrees Celsius for approximately ten days.
Then, you can return it to its warmer home. To overwinter, pick an area free of frost and that has high levels of humidity. There is even the option to winter your plant inside a sunny living space, however, this is not as beneficial for the health of the plant.
Lychee harvests and uses
Lychees don’t ripen immediately after harvesting. That means that the harvesting process must be planned carefully. As the lychee fruit expands and their skin becomes more pliable then it’s time to pick the lychees. To determine the ideal time for ripeness conduct taste tests often. Lychees mature at different times This is the reason you should harvest them every three to four days.
To harvest, slice the entire lychee cluster using secateurs off the tree Simply pick a few lychees to taste. After the lychees are picked you can eat them fresh, preserved, or processed. The fruit can be stored for up to three days in a room at room temp and up to three months in the fridge.
You can preserve lychees with sugar and dry them. In Asia, dried lychees are typically served alongside tea. The juice of lychees freshly squeezed can be an energizing drink that could also be transformed into wine or liqueur.
If you’re looking for local exotics, we’d love to introduce you to loganberry. It is unlike tropical fruits and doesn’t require a greenhouse to cultivate.
What are the months you cultivate lychees using fresh seeds?
If you’re planning to cultivate lychees by seeds, you’ll have to plant the lychees between January and March.
The best time for planting lychee seeds is since the weather is generally humid and hot which is what lychees require to flourish.
If you also plant lychee seeds during these times, you can anticipate your lychees ready to harvest by the end of spring or in the early summer.
If you’re considering cultivating your lychees ensure that you plant the lychee seeds in January through March.
How long does it take to grow lychees using seeds?
It takes a long period to develop lychees starting from seeds. It could take anywhere from 12 to fifteen years to allow a lychee tree to mature and produce fruit. If you’re patient it can pay off sweet, literally. Lychees are a delicious fruit that is worth waiting for.
