Lychee 'Mauritius'

'5 gal' size in it's first year here but survived a relatively cold winter for us and seems to be doing well thus far as spring gets goin...Read Moreg. Definitely 'on the edge' in 94930.

I love lychee and often go through 2 pounds of it a week. I just bought my first house and am trying to grow it. I bought it from an aw...Read Moreesome nursury in Houston (as well as a longan plant and a banana plant) I threw a handful of the seeds into my compost pile (mostly of spent coffee grinds) and a lot of them have germinated :) I took one an planted it in a pot, even though I read that the fruit will be inferior :(

There were two 25 foot Lychee trees in my backyard, until a hard freeze took them to the ground in 1982! The only propagation I know of i...Read Mores air-layering, and by fresh seeds. I have had moderate success by planting seeds. The small sprouts from seed are slow to grow and stay 18 inches high for 18 months before growing any larger. I have mine planted near my lake shore where the soil stays rather moist. In hard frosts and freeze, I cover them with a blanket over night. The fruit becomes ripe the first two weeks in June, and can cost up to $8.00 per pound!! The distinct taste is sweet and the liquid is thick like syrup, and once you start eating the fruit it is hard to stop! Air layering is the best way to propagate Lychee's.

Mauritius is main variety grown in S. Fla due to reliable bearing. However, the trees are weak branched and very, very cold sensitive. ...Read MoreI a 6yr old tree that never makes it past 4' due to constant freezing back (even though I cover it). Too cold sensitive for my location in FL. Good tasting fruits though, with smaller seeds than the Brewster variety (second most common variety).