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. Because of this, it isn’t any wonder you’re asking what is lychee fruit. While it isn’t commonly found here, it 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. The tree itself, Litchi chinensis, is a large, long-living subtropical evergreen that bears fruit from May through August in Hawaii. The most notable of the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, litchee trees bloom in the late winter to early spring. The resulting fruits are actually drupes, which are borne in clusters of from 3-50 fruits. The fruit is round to oval and 1-1.5 inches (25-38 mm.) across and a bumpy textured pink to red in color. Once peeled, the interior of fruit is whitish, semi-transparent, and juice.
Kingdom:
Plantae
Clade:
Angiosperms
Clade:
Eudicots
Clade:
Rosids
Order:
Sapindales
Family:
Sapindaceae
Subfamily:
Sapindoideae
Genus:
Litchi
Sonn.
Species:
L. chinensis
20-40 ft.
Mature Width:
20-40 ft.
Sunlight:
Full Sun
Spacing:
40 ft.
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Drought Tolerance:
Good
Harvest Time:
May-June
Fruit Color:
Red
Year to Bear:
2-3 years
Botanical Name:
Litchi chinensis
Does Not Ship To:
AZ
-----It is a tropical tree native to the Guangdong and Fujian provinces of China, where cultivation is documented from 1059 AD. China is the main producer of lychees, followed by India, other countries in Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and South Africa.
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How to Grow Lychee Trees
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A tall evergreen tree, the lychee bears small fleshy fruits. The outside of the fruit is pink-red, roughly textured and inedible, covering sweet flesh eaten in many different dessert dishes. Since the perfume-like flavor is lost in the process of canning, the fruit is usually eaten fresh...
Since the tree is subtropical, it can be grown in USDA zones 10-11 only. A beautiful specimen tree with its shiny leaves and attractive fruit, lychee thrives in deep, fertile, well-draining soil. They prefer an acidic soil of pH 5.0-5.5. When growing lychee trees, be sure to plant them in a protected area. Their dense canopy can be caught up by the wind and cause the trees to topple over. The tree can reach 30-40 feet (9-12 m.) in height. Recommended cultivars for fruit production include: Brewser Mauritius Sweet Cliff Kate Sessions Kwai Mi Origin
