across and a bumpy textured pink to red in color. Cultivation spread over the yearsthrough neighboring areas of southeastern Asia and offshore islands. Origin:The lychee is native to low elevations of the provinces of Kwangtung and Fukien in Southern China. There are so many that are unfamiliar, but that’s the fun of it. In mid-fall, the garden shows promise for winter broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce, while the summer’s strawberry plants (left foreground) and lingering tomatoes (trellised, in the background) grow on. While the trees will tolerate slightly water logged soil and light flooding for short periods, continual standing water is a no-no. Be careful not to damage the seed. Distant Affinity: Akee (Blighia sapida), Longan (Dimocarpus longan),Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Pulasan (N. mutabile), Fijian longan (Pometiapinnata). To harvest the fruit, allow them to turn red. Where I live in the Pacific Northwest we are privy to a plethora of Asian markets and there’s nothing more fun than tooling around investigating every package, fruit and vegetable. How do you grow lychee? When growing lychee trees, be sure to plant them in a protected area. However, those living in the warmest regions of zone 9b can grow a lychee tree provided the tree gets protection during an unexpected freeze. They can be grown for a short period in a large container. I'd direct you specifically to the part that states: There are only a few scattered trees in the West Indies and Central America apart from some groves in Cuba, Honduras and Guatemala. While it isn’t commonly found here, lychee has been prized for centuries by the Chinese who passed it along to Burma in the late 17th century, who in turn brought it to India. Since the tree is subtropical, it can be grown in USDA zones 10-11 only. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The tree can reach 30-40 feet (9-12 m.) in height. It reached Hawaii in 1873, and Florida in 1883, and was conveyed from Florida to Calif… Peel the off the outer layer of the seed using your nails. Remove the fruit from the tree by cutting it from the branch just above the panicle bearing the fruit. The tree is … It's a slow grower that can achieve heights of more than 40 feet. Step: 1. As mentioned, lychee trees need to be protected from wind. The following list of trees do not grow successfully in Southern California, thus we will not sell them to you. Lychee fruit is a rarity in the United States, probably because it isn’t commercially grown on the mainland with the exception of small farms in Florida. Itreached Hawaii in 1873, and Florida in 1883, and was conveyed from Florida toCalifornia in 1897 Adaptation:Lychees require seasonal temper… Now eat or remove the white fruit flesh to get to the seed. The most notable of the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, lychee trees bloom in the late winter to early spring. Available in a range of sizes and conveniently potted for transportation - as well as placement in limited backyard environments - Lychee trees from California Tropical are of the highest quality and abundance in the region. When growing lychee trees, be sure to plant them in a protected area. DESCRIPTION Growth Habit: The lychee tree is handsome, dense, round-topped and slow-growing with smooth, gray, brittle trunk and limbs. 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