how long does a lychee tree take to grow

It takes a bit of patience when growing a lychee tree because, as Chris says, "they remain dormant for about the first three years. At four or five years you'll get a small amount of fruit, and by the time the tree is ten years old it is usually fully productive and can produce up to 200 kilos of lychees."

How long does it take a lychee tree to grow?

Harvesting. Lychee trees will take at least five years to mature before bearing any fruit. You must expose the tree to cold temperatures for at least 100 hours in the winter if you want it to bloom and then bear fruit, and the female flowers have to be pollinated.

How can I make my lychee grow faster?

Mulching effectively enhances the root shading properties of lychees. Pruning: We have found that trees that have been pruned back about 6" after harvesting the fruit tend to produce more fruit in subsequent years. Pruning of the older growth stimulates new growth on all of the meristematic terminal ends.

Are lychees easy to grow?

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.

Do lychee trees bear fruit every year?

Lychee trees grow in recurrent cycles of growth followed by periods of dormancy. Typically, a South Florida lychee tree will experience 4 - 6 annual growth flushes depending on the age and size of a tree.

What is the best fertilizer for lychee tree?

Young trees (less than 4 years old) should be fertilized with 0.25 to 0.50 lbs (0.11 to 0.22 kg) of a complete fertilizer every 8 weeks (Table 3). Fertilizer mixtures containing 6 to 8% nitrogen, 2 to 4% available phosphorus, 6 to 8% potash, and 3 to 4% magnesium are satisfactory.

How often do you water a lychee tree?

Lychees should not be in standing water, as it will stunt their growth. Newly planted trees should be watered 2 to 3 times a week during the first weeks of planting, but can be reduced once the tree is established. Prune mature trees to help control the size and shape.

Can Lychee grow in pots?

Because lychee is a tropical tree, it isn't an option for many gardens. However, although this tree can be quite large outdoors, it is possible to grow lychee in pots.

Do lychee trees need full sun?

No remember, lychees don't like much wind, so put it in a spot where there's no wind, plenty of sun and it'll do brilliantly.

What month is lychee season?

The Real Lychee Season

The real season for fresh lychee fruit is mid-June to mid-July. Far too many growers sell partially ripe lychees in a rush to get their fruit to market.

Are lychees healthy?

Lychee contains good amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B-complex and phytonutrient flavonoids. It is a rich source of nutrient that is required for the production of blood. It provides manganese, magnesium, copper, iron and folate that are required for the formation of RBC.

Are lychee seeds poisonous?

It has been found that litchi contains certain natural toxins, mainly said to be in the seeds. Apparently, the toxic nature of litchi is not an unknown fact. ... The study also found that litchis, particularly the unripe ones, contain a certain amino acid that affects blood glucose levels severely.

Is there a dwarf lychee tree?

Planting & Care. The Emperor Lychee Tree (Litchi chinensis 'Emperor') is a beautiful tropical dwarf tree that produces large, juicy fruit larger than that of the regular Lychee tree.

What month do litchi bloom?

These litchi trees produces flowers in the month of August –September and fruits mature in the month of December and January.

Is eating too much lychee bad for you?

When eaten in moderation as a part of a healthy diet, lychees do not have any known adverse health effects. However, lychees have been associated with brain inflammation in South and Southeast Asia.

How do you look after a lychee tree?

Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots. Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk. Water deeply, once every 2-3 days, depending on weather conditions. Once established, water deeply once every week.

Why is my lychee tree dying?

Drought stress can cause dried out leaves and defoliation of lychee trees. Lychee growers recommend growing lychee in a full sun site with protection from wind. Though they will require deep watering during periods of drought, they are otherwise infrequently watered to allow them to grow their own deep, vigorous roots.

How do you fertilize a lychee tree?

Fertilize with a half-strength application of 10-5-20 fertilizer after the harvest of the first fruit. Do not fertilize again until fruit has set for the second harvest of fruit.

How do I get my lychee tree to bear fruit?

It does, however, need a certain number of chilling hours in order to set fruit, between 100-200 hours of standard chilling. This means that if your lychee won't produce, you might have to trick the tree a bit to get it to fruit. First off, lychee trees grow in regular cycles of growth followed by dormancy.

How do I grow lychee?

Lychee seeds dry out and lose their viability in a matter of days and should be planted as soon as possible. Fill a 6-inch (15 cm.) pot with moist, rich growing medium and sow a single seed at a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm.). Keep the pot moist and warm (between 75 and 90 F., or 24 and 32 C.).

What can you do with lychee seeds?

The seeds of lychee fruit are purported to have pain-relieving properties. It is traditionally drunk as a tea made from powdered seeds. People in Northern India have long used powdered lychee seeds for digestive disorders. It is also used to kill intestinal worms.