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Other Names: Dragon's Eye, Lungen, Long Kong, Longyan, Litchi-nu
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Related To:
Litchi, Rambutan, Alupag, Pulasan
Main Uses:
Fruit, Ornamental.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Mature Height/Spread:
Can reach mature heights anywhere from 30 to over 100 feet tall. Spread of the round canopy is often equal or close to the height, sometimes wider.
Flowering/Pollination:
Panicles in early summer, showy, often attracting butterflies.
Tolerance:
Little tolerance for salt and especially for dryness. Seedlings especially resent dry soil.
Soil/Nutrition:
Likes fertile soils, moist and retentive, of a slight acidity.
Light:
Full sun.
Wind:
Sturdy trees are tolerant of wind.
Temperature:
Subtropical. Longans are more tolerant of cold than Lychee. They take some temperatures below freezing for a short duration. Winter cool temperatures are important for flowering.
Dangers:
None.
Diseases Prone:
White scale, mealybugs.
Bearing Age:
8-10 years from seed, air layered branches will set fruit much sooner.
Fruit:
Fruits are ripe when smooth and brown, and when the thin cardboard like skin depresses slightly. One can also pick a fruit and taste to see. Panicles often ripen with relative uniformity. The taste of the fruit varies, but generally longan tastes like a spiced melon. The fruits grown in the US such as the popular Florida cultivar "Kohala" tastes very similar to a cantaloupe.
History/Origin:
Longan has likely been propagated as long as the lychee. It is not considered as noble as the lychee, hence the name "Litchi Nu" which means "servant of lychee." Nevertheless the fruit has a delicious taste all its own and a following of people who love to eat the fresh fruits.
Species Observations:
Longan can be prolific in setting fruit. Once the flowers have pollinated and fruit development begins, it is a good idea to trim off a portion of set panicles so as to encourage larger fruits on the remaining panicles.
Propogation:
Propagation from seeds is simple. Fresh seed will swell and germinate in a few days at room temperature if submerged in water. After soaking, just plant them and in a few weeks a shoot will emerge. Trees are also almost exclusively air-layered in the commercial nursery industry.
Container Culture:
Longans can be grown in a container for a little while, as a handsome specimen tree. For fruiting, they do have climactic requirements for flowering, which may pose some difficulty.
Medicinal Uses:
In some regions of Asia, longan is thought to enhance brain function. In Chinese medicine, the fruits are generally considered good for the heart.
Nutritional Information:
Longans are a good source of vitamin C.
Preparation / Food:
Usually longans are eaten fresh, and many people enjoy them better when chilled. Peel the skin by inching near the top. It should pop open, and some juice may squirt out, so be aware. Do not eat the seeds. Longan is also often canned, which is also somewhat delicious in its own way, but nothing like having the fresh fruit. In the US, look for the fresh fruits in August - September.
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"Tree is in fine shape and budding! Packing was exceptional. Thank you so much!"
- Satisfied Customer 1
"WOW, Plant is 10X better than expected. Great condition. Thank you very much."
- Satisfied Customer 2
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