Lychee – litchi chinesis

« Orange (sweet) citrus sinesis | Home | Peach - prunus persica »

Lychee – litchi chinesis

By goodadmin | December 6, 2007

Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is the solitary member of the genus Litchi in the Sapindaceae family. It is an attractive, evergreen, dense, slow-growing, tropical fruit tree that grows from 10 -30m high. Leaves are glossy, leathery, dark-green on the upper surface and grayish-green beneath, 5-8 cm long. The greenish-white to yellowish flowers are borne in terminal clusters. There are 3 types of flowers appearing in irregular sequence or simultaneously; a) male; b) hermaphrodite, fruiting as female and c) hermaphrodite fruiting as male. The latter possess the most viable pollen. The flowers require insects for transfer of pollen.

Fruits are strawberry-red in color sometimes rose or amber making a striking contrast against the dark green foliage. Theyare aromatic, oval, heart-shaped about 2.5 cm wide and 4 cm long with a thin, leathery, rough warty skin, easily peeled when fresh. The delicately flavored, sweet, white flesh can be eaten fresh, preserved or dried. The yields will depend on the cultivar, age, weather and pollination. Fruiting ability and quality are variable from seeds (seeds remain viable only 4 to 5 days) and usually lychee is grafted or air-layered.

The lychee grows well on a wide range of soils but prefers a lightly acid, fertile, sandy loam soil. Young trees benefit greatly by wind and frost protection but when mature can tolerate light frosts. Newly planted trees must be watered but not fertilized; when fertilized it is best if only organic material is used. In areas where lychees are grown, the most serious foliage pest is the erinose, or leaf-curl, mite. Other pests include: Aphis spiraecola on young plants, armored scale. Birds, bats can damage ripe fruits on the trees. Few diseases have been reported from any lychee-growing localities.

Lychee

Trees2grow

Visit my other sites

Herb - Gardens

all about fruit and nut bearing trees