Lychee(Litchi chinensis) - liji, laisi, lisi, "Chinese plum", "Chinese grapes", "paradise grapes", "fruit of love", "Chinese cherry" - an evergreen tree 10-30 meters high (at home it rarely exceeds two meters) from family Sapindaceae. The closest relatives of lychees from the Nepheeae subfamily are also widespread: longan ( Euphorif longan), rambutan ( Nephelium lappaceum) and pulasan ( N. mutabile), but about them next time.
- Of the huge bunches of fruits, only a very small part of them ripens - 15-20 pieces.
- In ancient times, lychee was considered a fruit for the nobility, therefore people from low classes could only participate in its collection - eating lychee as food by peasants was punishable by terrible punishments.
- In India, from the moment it came to them, lychee was dubbed the “fruit of pleasure” and was used as a powerful aphrodisiac.
- Every year in the north of Siam (in the province of Chiang Rai) the lychee festival is held - the most unusual holiday in Thailand. The festival coincides with the Thai harvest of the “Chinese plum” (June 14-16). There are processions, competitions, fairs on the streets, and even a Miss Lychee beauty contest.
- Lychee fruits are widely used in folk medicine: treatment of heart disease, acceleration of hematopoiesis, weight loss.
- The main disadvantage of lychee is that the fruits picked from the tree lose their taste and nutritional properties within three days.
Growing lychee from seeds
It is quite possible to grow a lychee tree at home. Seed germination, subject to certain conditions, is almost 100%, however, subsequently, for successful development, the plant requires compliance with some fairly specific requirements (temperature, light, humidity), as well as individual selection and combination of these parameters for each specific case.
To begin with, we purchase the fruits of “Chinese plum” in the nearest supermarket (in the case of lychee, even “store-bought” fruits give good results when grown at home). Next, we clean the fruit: carefully cut the pink crust along the equator with small scissors or a scalpel and release the “glassy” pulp, which, by the way, is very edible. The taste, to put it mildly, is not for everyone. Personally, the fruit did not evoke any olfactory or gustatory delight in me. Moreover, there remains a persistent aesthetic non-perception of the peeled fruit due to visual and tactile associations with the organ of vision... The popular name of the fruit - “dragon eye” - immediately became clear. Other representatives of the Sapindovs (longan with rambutan) left the same feeling. But, fortunately, this in no way correlates with the appearance of these fragile indoor and greenhouse inhabitants.
After cleaning, the seeds are removed from the pulp and washed in warm, settled water. It should be remembered that lychee seeds quickly lose their germination capacity: the best results are shown by freshly extracted seeds, while after two days the germination rate drops to 10-20%. Seeds are planted in individual containers (you can also use standard plastic cups); plants do not tolerate joint planting of two or more seeds. Lychees grow well in organically rich, breathable soils with a pH of 5.5 - 7.5. After planting, a mini-greenhouse is organized over the glass (covered with cling film or covered with a bag - as it suits you) and kept until germination at a temperature of 30-35° C. Every day the greenhouse is opened to allow the planting to “breathe.” Naturally, the soil should not dry out throughout the entire period. In my case, a grow box was used for germination, and only daily inspection of the planting was required. After emergence of seedlings, the temperature is reduced to 25°
C. Typically, seedlings appear after 14-20 days (depending on temperature conditions). In my case, young “larvae” appeared on days 7-9. When germination of seeds outside the soil (fabric, cotton wool, sphagnum moss) shoots appear first, and roots develop after 5-6 days.
Lychee seedlings actively grow until they reach 15-20 cm in height. Then active growth stops for a year or two - the root system actively develops. Because of this “stagnation”, sometimes seedlings are fertilized too intensively, which is unacceptable - you just need to take into account the physiological characteristics of the plant organism. Young lychee leaves appear whitish or red-pink in color, then acquire a rich green color. From personal experience: although lychees have a fibrous superficial root system, already at the age of 20 days my seedlings “broke through” the bottom of plastic cups (200 ml) with their roots. A very difficult transfer followed (difficult due to the release of the roots from the plastic bottom of the cups) into a large container. After which the growth stopped (15 and 20 cm), but the condition of the plants remains excellent. This fact should be taken into account and initially take care of a slightly larger pot for planting.
A lychee tree needs 13-15 hours of daylight. Therefore, winter and autumn are a period of additional illumination. The optimal temperature in summer is 22-34 ° C, in winter - 18-25 ° C. Watering is one of the main limiting factors. Lychee does not tolerate flooding or drought. The superficial root system and, at the same time, strong “deep” roots require careful hydraulic regime. Naturally, watering is done with settled water at room temperature. It is best to combine “top” and “bottom” watering of the tree, however, coordinating the intervals with the temperature and humidity conditions of the room in which the tree is located. Water only after the top layer of soil has dried. Lychee does not tolerate stagnant water. High air humidity (fine spraying several times a day) is necessary for the full development of the plant.
In the first year, fertilizing is applied no earlier than three months after germination. On the second and further - once every one to three months. Plus, foliar feeding should be used.
And again, a little personal experience. Lychees, planted in a standard universal substrate mixed with vermiculite 2:1, germinated and initially grew more actively than seedlings in the soil of which 1/6 of the soil from under the “dacha” perennial pine was added. However, the latter are more promising (in terms of quantity and quality of leaves), although they are inferior to the former in growth and size of the latter.
Pruning is usually used only in the first two years of development to give the tree an aesthetic appearance. Hard pruning provokes the growth of vegetative shoots to the detriment of the formation of flower panicles. The plant requires cross pollination. At home, flowering and fruiting can be expected for at least 7-10 years. For the establishment and development of flower buds, seasonal temperature fluctuations are required (humid, warm summers and a monthly decrease in temperature in winter).
Lychee trees are prized for their tasty fruits, unusual evergreen leaves and neat, rounded crown. They are very sensitive to low temperatures and will not grow in climates other than tropical ones. Therefore, if conditions do not allow, lychees can be grown from seed at home. A tree planted at home will not bear fruit due to cramped conditions, however, it is quite possible to grow homemade lychee for decorative purposes.
When grown commercially in gardens, lychees are propagated and planted by cuttings - this is the only way to preserve the properties of the parent tree. But for decorative purposes, seeds are also suitable for planting a tree. To grow lychee from seeds, you should take fully ripened fruits; only such seeds can sprout. For good seed material, you need to choose fruits with a hard red skin and a strong aroma. A ripe fruit will have juicy, translucent, sweet flesh.
Each lychee fruit contains at least one seed, which is round and dark brown in color. Some fruits contain wrinkled, undeveloped seeds of irregular shape; they should not be used for planting lychees at home. The seeds remain viable for only four to five days once removed, so they should be sown as early as possible to increase the likelihood of successful germination.
Planting and germination of homemade lychee.
For reliable germination of lychee seeds, it is necessary to provide appropriate warm and humid conditions, characteristic of the rainy season in the tropics. To do this, fill a small pot with drainage holes with a single layer of expanded clay and fresh flower soil. Gradually add water until all the soil is wet and excess moisture flows through the drainage.
The lychee seed should be sown in the middle of the pot to a depth of 2-3 centimeters. When germinating a lychee tree, you should maintain the temperature between 25-34 degrees Celsius and provide the top layer of soil with constant but moderate moisture. Most live lychee seeds will germinate between 1-4 weeks after planting, but some may germinate later. After the first reddish leaves appear, place the pot in a bright place, but without direct sunlight.
Lychee seedlings grow quickly and reach a height of 20 centimeters within a few weeks. However, their growth slows significantly after the initial spurt and the domestic lychee tree will remain below 30 centimeters for the first two years of life. During this period, the plant will be busy forming a powerful root system, which means homemade lychee should be transplanted into a larger pot three times in the first two years.
Keep the young lychee tree in a place protected from drafts and drying sunlight, and maintain constant soil moisture. Lychees at home do not tolerate stagnant water, so when watering, excess moisture should flow freely into the pan. The grown tree can later be moved to a sunny place.
If you grow lychee from a seed in open ground with suitable climatic conditions, then such a tree will be able to bear fruit, but the onset of fruiting may be delayed for two decades. And the fruit will most likely turn out to be of different quality from the seed fruit. At the same time, the cultivation of lychee for decorative purposes is most often carried out by planting seeds. You can also grow a mango tree from a seed at home.
Lychee tree at home and its photo
Botanical name: Lychee or Chinese lychee or Chinese plum (Litchi). Belongs to the Lychee genus, Sapindaceae family.
Homeland of lychees: Southern China.
Lighting: plentiful, with shading from direct sunlight.
The soil: moderately moist, well-drained, sandy, fertile.
Watering: moderate.
Maximum tree height: 30 m.
Average life expectancy: in tropical conditions it lives up to 1000 years.
Landing: seeds, cuttings, grafting, layering.
Lychee is an evergreen tree that grows in the tropics and subtropics, reaching up to 30 m in height. It has a dense dense crown and a smooth trunk with gray bark. The leaves are compound, shiny, dark green above, grayish-green below, dense, consisting of 4-8 narrow, elongated leaves with wavy edges.
The flowers are petalless, yellowish or greenish, collected in inflorescences - panicles up to 70 cm long. Each panicle forms a cluster consisting of 3-15 fruits. 140 days after flowering, the fruits ripen.
The fruits are oval or ovoid, 3-4 cm long, weighing 10 - 20 g, with a red skin covered with numerous tubercles. The pulp is soft, jelly-like, white or creamy, easily separated from the peel, with a pleasant sweet taste and aroma, slightly astringent, tastes like grapes. The fruit contains a large dark brown seed inside. Externally, the fruits are similar to garden strawberries. This is proven by the photo of the lychee plant below.
The tree has a slow growth rate, so its yield increases gradually over 20 years. Fruiting occurs at 4-6 years of age. The yield of one mature tree is 80-140 kg of fruit per year. Ripe fruits are harvested in May-June. When harvesting, whole fruits are cut off, since fruits collected individually quickly deteriorate. A few days after harvesting, the red skin of the lychee turns brown.
There are about 100 varieties of this plant in the world. Of these, seedless varieties are more valuable, but pollination is necessary for normal fruiting.
The most common varieties:
A photo of the lychee tree is presented in the gallery on this page.
Growing lychee at home (with photo)
Lychee is native to Southern China, where this plant has been cultivated for more than 2000 years. In 1775, this culture appeared in India, a little later in Hawaii and Florida, then spread to the countries of Southeast Asia, Africa and America.
Today, lychee is grown in all tropical and subtropical countries. Prefers moderately moist, fertile soils. Grows and bears fruit well in hot, dry climates. In more humid climates it grows, but does not produce a harvest.
Young and adult individuals are quite demanding in terms of growing conditions. They do not tolerate frost or extreme heat.
Lychee fruits and plant in the photo
The fruits of this tropical plant are consumed mainly fresh in places where they are grown. They can also be consumed stewed, canned and fried. Used for preparing various dishes and soft drinks.
In Southeast Asian countries, lychees are dried. Dried fruits resemble nuts because their skins become hard and the dry pulp resembles a nut kernel. Such fruits are called “lychee nuts” and can be stored for several months. Under this name, this product is exported to other countries. Fresh lychee fruits are difficult to transport, as they are stored for no more than 3 days.
You can see what a lychee fruit looks like in this photo above.
In folk medicine, the fruits are used as an effective remedy for normalizing blood sugar levels in diabetes. In combination with other plants, they are used to treat liver, kidney, lung and cancer diseases.
Lychee is one of the most beautiful plants on the planet, therefore it is highly valued as an ornamental crop.
How to grow lychee plant indoors at home
Lychees can also be grown at home, providing the tree with all the necessary conditions. This crop is propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and grafting. As practice shows, seedlings obtained from seeds develop slowly and do not always inherit the qualities of their parents. In addition, fruiting in this case occurs later than with any other method of reproduction.
For planting, take fresh seeds, which are sown immediately after receiving them, since they quickly lose their viability. Planting is done in a small container filled with nutrient soil. Cover the top with film to create a greenhouse effect. The container with the seeds is placed in a warm place. In such conditions, seedlings will appear in 2-3 weeks. After this, the film is removed. In the first 6 months, the grown seedling develops 3 leaves. On two of them two leaf plates are formed, on the third - one. The period of active growth lasts from May to September. From May to July, new shoots are formed. In autumn, the growth of the annual plant slows down and the formation of leaves stops. In the first half of September, a period of rest begins, which lasts until the end of February.
Reproduction is most successful by air layering and grafting onto a seedling rootstock. When propagated by grafting, a strong, well-developed root is formed.
This crop needs plenty of light, so it grows best near windows facing south or west. The young plant is shaded from direct sunlight. In winter, additional lighting devices are used, such as fluorescent lamps and phytolamps.
When growing a lychee plant at home, it is necessary to ensure high humidity in the room, since the period of its active growth in nature begins during the rainy season.
When growing a tree in the garden, you should provide it with protection from frost and dry winds, which can cause the plant to begin to shed its leaves and cracks to appear on the fruits.
Several trees are planted in fertilized holes at a distance of 6-10 m from each other.
When caring for the lychee plant, water it regularly. Abundant watering is required during the growth period, but stagnation of moisture should be avoided. In winter, the amount of watering is reduced. The soil is moistened as it dries.
This crop requires seasonal changes in air temperature. Thus, wintering at a temperature of 10-15°C, as well as humid summers, promote the development of flower buds.
Feeding of young individuals (up to 4 years) is carried out once every 2 months. For this purpose, mineral fertilizers are used. Adult plants are fertilized less frequently. Rotted manure, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are added to the soil.
When growing a lychee tree at home, formative pruning is carried out in the first 2 years to give the crown a compact shape. Periodic pruning can be done to remove dead and diseased branches.
If lychee is grown correctly at home, the tree will produce an annual harvest of fruits with high taste. Ripe fruits are harvested immediately, because when overripe they darken and their taste deteriorates.
The photo above shows how lychee grows at home.
Lychee fruit at home
Everyone wants to try exotic fruits, but, alas, this does not always work out, since many fruits do not tolerate transportation well due to their tenderness, therefore they appear on the shelves of our stores either in an inedible state, or with an incredibly inflated price. Like, for example, lychees. But you shouldn’t despair, because lychee fruit can be grown at home. Growing a lychee tree at home is not that difficult. If you comply with a certain number of conditions when planting seeds, their germination rate will be almost 100%. Of course, in order for the tree to develop well in the future, it is necessary to observe much more conditions, monitor temperature, watering, etc., but the result is worth the effort spent on it. So let's take a closer look at how to grow lychees.
Lychee - growing at home
So, first of all, you need to understand the question of how to plant lychees, namely, how to plant lychees from a seed.
So we figured out how lychee grows. Growing lychee at home cannot be called a particularly difficult process, although it is not easy. But that's exactly what it is, it's interesting and exciting.
How to grow lychees from seeds at home
While eating an unusual foreign fruit, probably everyone has at least once thought about planting it at home. But is this possible? Today you will learn what the lychee fruit is, how to grow it from a seed at home, and also see a photo.
This tree with a beautiful crown shape grows in tropical conditions. At home in Southern China it reaches up to 30 m in height. It has a dense crown and gray-green leaves. The flowers blooming on this tree are collected in panicles, reaching a length of 70 cm. After pollination, clusters form in their place and fruits begin to ripen, about 7 pieces, sometimes more. After almost four months, the fruit begins to ripen.
A lychee grown from a seed will not bear fruit, but the decorative qualities of this tree cannot be taken away. It will not survive our winters due to the strong cold snap, but you can still grow it at home.
Growing lychee
Each fruit of this fruit contains brown seeds. In order to grow lychees from seeds at home, when selecting, you need to select whole, undamaged and regular oval-shaped ones. You must remember that their viability is only three days after you remove them from the fruit. Therefore, to plant lychees at home , Immediately after extraction, the seeds are immersed in the ground, this will give a better chance for the seed to germinate. Take a small container, you can use a plastic glass of 500 g.
Planting a seed
In order for a seed to sprout, it is necessary to create the same conditions as during the rains in a tropical forest. To do this, we put drainage in the container to avoid rotting of the roots, pour in nutritious soil for seedlings and thoroughly moisten everything with warm water. When excess water flows through the drainage holes, it must be drained.
The seed is placed in the middle of the container and buried a couple of centimeters into the soil. Now we create greenhouse conditions for seed germination:
- Cover with glass to maintain constant humidity.
- And we put it on a hot radiator, since the seed germinates at an earth temperature of 32 degrees.
If the seeds are viable, they will germinate within a month after planting, although some may be delayed in hatching. After the sprout appears, the glass is removed and the container is placed in a bright place without direct sunlight.
In the first month of life, the sprouts grow 30 cm, and in the first six months, only three leaves will grow on the seedling. And they freeze for two years to build up a powerful root system. Therefore, during this time, the indoor lychee will need to be transferred several times along with the soil into a large container, but increasing it at a time by no more than 5 cm in diameter.
Active growth is observed only in the warm season; at the end of September the plant seems to go into hibernation and stops growing leaves.
To grow lychee at home, you need to protect it from drafts and direct sun and constantly maintain soil and air moisture. Since active growth is observed only during tropical rains, which occur in its homeland.
In order for a tree to bloom, it is necessary to create a difference between winter and summer temperatures. Therefore, it needs wintering at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius, and in the summer as warm as possible plus high humidity.
Fertilizing is carried out during the vegetative period once a month with complete mineral fertilizer. Fertilizer is selected with a uniform content of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.
Pruning is carried out periodically to form a crown that can fit in the room where lychee grows.
How to grow lychees from seeds at home - care and planting
Lychee trees are highly valued for their delicious fruits; they have unusual evergreen leaves and a neat, rounded crown. They are very sensitive to low temperatures and will not grow in climates other than tropical. Therefore, lychees can only be grown indoors. But be prepared that you won’t get any fruits due to the specific climate; you can only grow a beautiful ornamental tree.
For decorative purposes, seeds are suitable for growing this tree. In order to do this, you need to use only ripened fruits; these are the seeds that will be able to sprout. For very good seed, you need to choose fruits that have a hard red skin and a very strong flavor. Ripe fruits have juicy translucent sweet pulp.
How to plant and germinate homemade lychee from a seed
In order to reliably germinate a lychee seed, you need to create favorable conditions for its germination, which are typical for the rainy season in tropical areas. To do this, you need to take a small pot with a drainage hole, a drainage layer of expanded clay and fresh flower soil. Then you need to gradually fill it with water so that all the soil is sufficiently wet and excess moisture flows safely through the holes.
You need to sow the lychee seed in the middle of the pot to a depth of about 2-3 centimeters. At the germination stage, the tree should be kept at a temperature of 25-35 degrees Celsius, and the top layer of soil should also be provided with constant but moderate humidity. Most seeds will germinate within 2-4 weeks after planting, but some may germinate later. After the first red leaves appear, you need to place the pot in a bright place, but make sure that there is no direct sunlight.
Lychee trees grow very quickly and reach a height of 20 centimeters in just a few weeks. But nevertheless, their growth slows down very much after they germinate and during the first two years the tree will remain no higher than 30 centimeters. It is during this period that the plant forms a powerful root system, which means homemade lychee should be replanted three times in two years into large pots.
Be careful, the tree should be in a place protected from drafts and direct sunlight. Also remember to maintain constant soil moisture. When the tree grows up, it can be moved to a sunny place.
If you grow lychees from seeds in open ground with completely suitable climatic conditions, then such a tree will be able to bear fruit, but this will only happen after 10-20 years.
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An exotic plant can also be grown at home. In this article we will tell you how to grow a lychee tree at home.
Lychee or Chinese lychee is an evergreen fruit tree that belongs to the Sapindaceae genus. Its fruits will not only become a decoration for the windowsill and a delicious fruit on the table, but will also bring considerable benefits to the body.
It is very difficult to get fruit on store shelves in good condition and at a reasonable price. Therefore, this article will provide material on how to grow and what conditions to create for the growth of Chinese plum at home.
How a lychee plant grows in a pot at home: photo
Lychee is an exotic type of fruit that prefers tropical and subtropical climates. But it can also be grown at home. To do this, you should choose a suitable fruit at the market or in a store that does not have damage or dents. The bone itself is brown and oval in shape.
By the way, remember - its viability is only three days after removal from the fetus. Therefore, try to plant the seed quickly to give it a better chance of germination.
- The tree grows up to 30 m in height, but on a windowsill in a pot or tub on the floor its dimensions can reach only 1.5-3 m. With proper care, the first shoots can appear within a few weeks to a month. And after six months the tree will have about 3 leaves.
- The root system is fibrous and superficial, and also very powerful. After rapid and intense growth, a period of calm begins. It is at this moment that the root system becomes stronger. A phenomenon often observed is when a root breaks through a plastic cup. If you have not yet transplanted the fruit.
- This plant is not particularly picky, but loves the “golden mean” in everything. It tolerates shade well, but needs light for at least 12 hours. Therefore, it should be placed near a window, but not in direct sunlight, and additional artificial lighting must be provided.
- Lychee does not tolerate dry soil, but, like most plants, it likes moderate watering. By the way, you need to take water at room temperature and steep it for several days. Also do not forget that the room must have high humidity and that the plant requires regular spraying.
- Lychee branches well, so it needs regular pruning. For growing at home, this is very important, since not only diseased and dried branches are removed, but also a compact and neat crown shape is created. Only this procedure can be done only after two years.
What is lychee fruit, what does it look like, where is its homeland: description
Lychee cannot be confused with any other fruit or berry. It has specific and narrow historical roots, and its appearance can be called original and unusual even in comparison with other exotic exhibits. This fruit also has a lot of beneficial properties, so the Chinese have long taken it for medicinal purposes.
A little about the origin:
- This tree takes its roots, in the truest sense of the word, from Southern China, where it was discovered back in the 2nd century BC. According to legend, Emperor Wu Di, after a losing attempt to breed seedlings in the Northern region of the country, executed all the gardeners who were involved in these experiments.
- Then, over time, the fruit began to capture most of Asia, and already in the 17th century it began to “get acquainted” with European countries. By the way, its first name was “Chinese plum”.
- But in the Celestial Empire there are many legends about this plant, which describe the berry itself as the “eye of a dragon.” Yes, it has a slightly unusual and peculiar appearance - a dark seed in light flesh. That's why the association with the eye came about.
Important! This plant is long-lived. In tropical countries with suitable climatic conditions, lychees can reach an age of up to 1000 years.
- Nowadays, lychee naturally spreads to the territories of India, Korea and Siam. The tropical climate of the American and African continents is also suitable for its growth. Madagascar.
- The name is different for some populations. Some people call lychees like “Chinese grapes.” Because it tastes like it has common flavor notes. Others are more reminiscent of cherries, which is why they were given the name “Chinese cherry.”
Botanical description:
- The tree has dimensions from 10 to 30 meters, but the average size is up to 15 m. It has a wide spreading crown.
- The leaves of the tree are complex, consisting of 4-8 leaves. Their shape is elongated, ovoid or lanceolate with pointed ends. The edges of the leaves may be slightly wavy. The leaves are dark green in color with a glossy coating on the outside. From below they have a grayish tint, and there is no that stand-out shine.
- The inflorescences are umbrella-shaped. By the way, they are a little reminiscent of chestnuts, but much smaller in size. The length of the inflorescence itself - the umbrella - reaches 70 cm. The flowers themselves are small, collected in yellowish or greenish baskets. But such a bunch produces only 3-15 fruits.
- In general, this tree is characterized by slow growth and maturation. Young trees bear less fruit. And the increase in yield occurs gradually and over a period of 20 years. By the way, 140 days after flowering, fruits begin to set. Trees begin to bear fruit on average at 5 years of age.
- The fruits are small and densely dotted on the branches of the tree. They are up to 4 cm in size and oval in shape, but at the base it is slightly wider than at the bottom. The fruit itself does not exceed 20 g. The peel is red, but after being picked from the tree it turns brown. A prominent feature is the many pointed tubercles throughout the skin.
- The pulp is light with a white or cream tint, jelly-like and translucent. It peels off and separates very well. The fruit tastes sweetish with hints of sourness, with slight viscous characteristics.
- When compared with other tastes, opinions differ greatly from each other. It has something in common with plum or grape, but is somewhat reminiscent of cherry or pineapple. The aroma is fresh and sweet at the same time.
- Inside there is a relatively large oval brown bone. By the way, some draw an analogy between the berry and strawberries or raspberries.
Important! There are about 100 species of lychee. The fruit is propagated by grafting, cuttings, seed or seeds. But the most valuable and tasty is the variety that reproduces by pollination. That is, seedless lychee.
Application and beneficial properties:
- Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates are found in large quantities in the fruit, so it is consumed both fresh and as preservation. Also, lychee contains a lot of pectin substances.
- By the way, the fruit is even fried and stewed. It is widely used for preparing sweet dishes - jelly and ice cream, as well as for various drinks. By the way, traditional Chinese wine is produced from it.
Important! Lychee can be stored for no more than three days. Therefore, it is dried or preserved for delivery to other countries.
- Another well-known and popular use in Asian countries is drying. The procedure is carried out for the whole berry. The peel then becomes hard, and the inside resembles a nut kernel. Therefore, another name is “chili nut”.
- Due to its high zinc content, it is classified as an aphrodisiac. Therefore, in eastern countries, such a delicacy must be on the table of newlyweds.
- The most important distinguishing quality is the huge content of nicotinic acid. That is, vitamin PP, which is responsible for the prevention of atherosclerosis.
- Lychee normalizes blood sugar levels, which is very valuable for diabetes. It improves the functioning of the liver, kidneys and lungs.
- The Chinese have established a positive connection between lychee and cancer. The fruit helps not only to better resist illnesses, but by increasing immunity, it helps to cope with the consequences.
- The heart and circulatory system are also cleared of cholesterol after eating this berry. It is useful to take it for vitamin deficiency.
- And one cannot fail to mention the ability to regulate water-salt balance. Lychee helps relieve puffiness and cope with excess weight.
Important! Unripe fruits can cause poisoning and even death. And a raw seed is considered poisonous. It must undergo special heat treatment.
- And, of course, lychee is considered the most beautiful plant. It will decorate not only the garden, but also your windowsill. Therefore, it is very widely valued as an ornamental crop.
How to choose a pot and soil for planting lychee?
The soil, as for most plants, must be fertile, of medium acidity and rich in nutrients. It is especially important to have plenty of potassium and phosphorus. Because they are the main pillars of plant immunity.
- The ideal option would be soil for exotic or deciduous plants. The acidity level should be within the range of 5.5-7.5 pH.
- Also, do not forget to mix it with peat, because it will supplement the soil with the necessary minerals. Or replace it with humus.
- The pot should be small at first. After all, the root system of the plant is still poorly developed, so moisture stagnation simply forms in a large pot. And in the future it will cause rotting of the soil and even the seed.
- Therefore, a plastic cup or a plastic pot for violets is suitable for the grain for the first month. Their diameter should not be more than 10 cm. In the future, the plant’s powerful root system will need a lot of space, so regularly monitor the size of the pot. It should be moderately spacious and large.
The soil for lychee should be of medium acidity
- Please note that there should be 3-5 holes at the bottom, since excess moisture should not accumulate. It is necessary that it flows freely along the walls into the stand. In the future, the roots of the fruit will absorb it. But if there is too much of it, then it is better to drain it.
- A drainage 1.5-2 cm high must be placed at the bottom. Ordinary crushed stone or pebbles are suitable for this. By the way, charcoal that is not completely burned will additionally enrich the earth with minerals and act as a preventive measure against diseases and pests.
- Since such a plant is a little capricious in matters of moisture and temperature, there is no need to plant lychees in a plastic container. The ideal pot would be a clay or ceramic container, that is, made from natural materials. In a plastic container, the plant may suffocate or even rot.
How to plant lychees from seeds, germinate lychee seeds at home?
By growing lychees from seeds, you can get a harvest for 4-5 years. By the way, this is the way the plant grows and develops faster. There are also early ripening varieties that bear fruit in the second year.
- Initially, the bone must be carefully removed from the pulp so as not to damage it. It comes off quite easily and freely. Does not require any additional processing.
- The only thing you need to do is rinse with warm water. Don't delay planting and don't pre-soak it. Lychee loses its viability already on the third day. Therefore, the seed must be planted immediately after extraction.
- There is no need to dry the seed, but immediately place it in the prepared soil. If you have a large pot, then plant several grains at a time. But at first it is better to plant the seeds in disposable plastic cups, one grain in each.
- Place in the middle of the glass, but not deep - 1.5-2 cm is enough. Lightly sprinkle with earth on top. Do not compact or press the soil tightly under any circumstances. It should be loose.
- Moisture is the main criterion in the first period. The soil should always be moist, but do not overwater it. Better use a spray bottle. And so that the water does not have time to evaporate, cover each glass with cling film or cover all the pots with glass.
- Immediately after planting, seedlings need warmth, but they do not want bright sunlight. Therefore, do not place them on the windowsill, or even better, place them in a darkened room. But place it near radiators or heaters. The temperature should be between 30-35 °C.
- On average, within a month the first shoots will appear. After which the watering is slightly reduced, and the film or glass is removed. At this stage, the seedlings already need more light, but the sun's rays should not fall on the sprouts. They are still too vulnerable.
- In six months, the first three leaves will appear. After which, all energy goes into feeding the root, which will develop as much as possible. All this takes approximately 1.5-2 years. And don’t forget to change pots on time. Just increase them by a maximum of 5 cm at a time.
How to care for your home lychee flower?
Planting is considered the easiest of all processes. The plant cannot be called harmful and demanding; it simply needs the conditions in which it is accustomed to develop. That is, in a tropical climate. Therefore, you need to create similar conditions at home. But also keep in mind that indoor or indoor lychee will not produce as much fruit as trees grown in an outdoor garden.
- Light. This aspect is very important for the normal development of the tree. Lychee needs a 12-15 hour day. In summer there should be no problems. But in the period from October to March - April, you need to install additional lamps for lighting in the evening.
- The plant loves the sun and its homeland “bathes” in the sun’s rays, but direct exposure of the leaves to the rays can negatively affect the further development of lychee. Therefore, place it on a darkened window or choose a slightly covered place near the window.
- Active and maximum growth of the tree occurs in the summer. By the way, at this time lychee needs temperature conditions 25-30 °C, but in winter you lower it to 15-20 °C. After all, at this time the plant does not grow, but seems to fall asleep.
Important! Alternatively, you can use an infrared lamp to warm up. Just don’t place it directly above the plant. Place it nearby.
- Watering. Lychee loves moisture and absolutely does not tolerate drought. Therefore, regularly monitor the condition of the soil; it should not be dry. But don't flood it! Better arm yourself with a spray bottle. By the way, it wouldn’t hurt for them to humidify the air in the room several times a day.
- Don't forget from time to time loosen earth!
- Be sure to spend feeding after 3-4 months. Until the age of 4, it is carried out once every 1.5-2 months. Mature trees can already be fertilized only once every 2-3 months. Phosphate, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers are required. If possible, then add manure or ash.
- Trimming. It only needs to be done after 2 years. For indoor exhibits, it is more of an aesthetic nature, since a crown that is too massive or overgrown will be inappropriate. It is carried out as needed.
Video: Growing lychee at home
The lychee fruit tree (Litchi chinensis), also called Chinese lychee, is a member of the Sapindaceae family. It is also called lisi, Chinese plum, liji or laisi. There is documentary evidence that such a plant was grown in China already in the second century BC. Today, this plant is cultivated in all countries of Southeast Asia. Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza wrote that this fruit is similar to a plum, it does not burden the stomach, and it can be eaten in any quantity, which is why he called this plant “Chinese plum.” This culture was brought to Europe by the French botanist Pierre Sonner, who traveled to China and Southeast Asia. This happened in the 18th century.
Lychee fruit is eaten canned or fresh; it is used to make jelly, ice cream and other desserts, and traditional Chinese wine is also prepared from it.
Lychee is an evergreen tree with a spreading crown. Such a tree, growing in natural conditions, can reach a height of 10–30 meters. The complex pinnate leaf plates include from 4 to 8 leaf plates of an elongated ovoid or lanceolate shape with a pointed tip. The front surface of the plates is dark green and shiny, and the back is pale gray. Lush umbrella-shaped inflorescences reach 0.7 m in length; they consist of flowers that do not have petals, but consist only of pale yellow or light green cups. The inflorescences contain a large number of flowers, but no more than 15 ovaries out of all develop into fruits, while the remaining ones die off. The length of the fruit, covered with a red peel, can vary from 25 to 40 mm; there are many sharp tubercles on the surface. Inside the fruit there is a jelly-like pulp of light color and sweet taste; it comes away from the peel very easily and has a slightly noticeable wine flavor. In the center of the fruit there is a dark brown oval-shaped pit. In lychees growing in the tropics, fruit ripening occurs in May or June.
In mid-latitudes, lychee is considered a strange plant; therefore, it is quite difficult to buy seedlings of such a crop in a garden pavilion. However, you can try to grow such a tree from a seed indoors. To do this, purchase a ripe fruit that has a strong odor, translucent juicy pulp and a red skin. The bone must be removed from the pulp and wrapped in moistened gauze or cloth. For 7 days, you need to ensure that the wrapper is slightly damp at all times.
The tissue of the swollen seed must be removed, after which it is planted in a pot with a drainage hole at the bottom. At the bottom of the pot, first you need to lay out a drainage layer of expanded clay, after which it is filled with flower soil mixture. The seed needs to be buried only 20 mm into the substrate. When planting several seeds, the chances of a seedling appearing increase several times. When the seed is planted, the substrate in the container must be moistened with lukewarm water. The seed should germinate at a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees; it is very important to ensure that the substrate in the pot is always slightly damp. The first seedlings should appear in about 7–30 days, but this may happen later.
After the emerging seedling grows its first light red leaf blades, the container should be moved to a sunny windowsill, while the plant should be protected from direct rays of the sun. The plant is transplanted into a larger pot when it has 4 or 5 leaves. In order for seedlings to develop normally, they will need long daylight hours, at least 12 hours. The air temperature in the room throughout the year should not fall below 20 degrees.
How to water
Lychee is a tropical moisture-loving plant; therefore, the young bush must be moistened twice a day from a sprayer with boiled or filtered water. The plant should be watered moderately and systematically; for this you need to use filtered water or water that has stood for two days, and it should be at room temperature. Experienced flower growers advise using bottom watering; to do this, you need to regularly add water to the pan.
The bush must be watered in such a way that it does not suffer from a lack or excess of moisture in the root system. At the same time, there should always be high air humidity in the room.
Fertilizer
The first feeding of lychee should be done 3 months after the seedling appears. After this, feeding is stopped until the tree is at least 1 year old. Starting from the second year of life, fertilizing is carried out 1 or 2 times every 4 weeks, for this purpose a solution of complex mineral fertilizers in moderate concentration is used. You can also use organic fertilizers to feed lychees, for example, a solution of mullein (1:15) is well suited. Thanks to fertilizing, the formation of buds improves, and the bush is stimulated to bear fruit.
Trimming
This plant is slow-growing, so it needs to be pruned very rarely. During the first 2 years, you need to form the crown of the plant. After this, you just need to maintain the shape by systematically shortening the excessively long stems. If a lot of time has passed and there are still no fruits on the tree, then you should not be upset, because such an exotic tree is still quite rare.
Diseases
Lychee has a fairly high resistance to diseases. A tree can only get sick if it is not cared for properly. If you water the bush too much, rot may appear on the root system. If the plant does not have enough water, it will become lethargic and begin to wither. By providing the lychee with proper care, you can protect it from all diseases.
Pests
This crop is also highly resistant to pests. However, spider mites, whiteflies, mealybugs, aphids, thrips or scale insects can move onto the bush from other indoor flowers. In this regard, the plant needs a systematic, thorough inspection; if pests or signs of their presence are noticed on it, then try to begin destroying them immediately. To do this, the affected plant must be sprayed with an acaricide or insecticide, and the solution must be prepared in accordance with the instructions on the package.
Quite a large number of lychee varieties and hybrids have been bred, but such a plant is widespread only in Asia. The most popular cultivars are:
- Green hanging. The tree is covered with pale green leaf blades. There is a barely visible green stripe on the surface of the fruit. The fruits remain fresh and do not lose their taste even three days after the peel is removed.
- Glutinous rice balls. The dense pulp of such fruits has a sweet honey taste. They are covered with a red skin, on which there are no tubercles. The seed of such fruits is much smaller in comparison with other varieties or is absent at all.
- Sweet osmanthus. The sweet fruit has an osmanthus aroma. They are covered with a very lumpy skin of a rich red color.
- Green Yatu. The peel of the fruit has dark green specks.
- black leaf. This variety is early ripening. The fruits are fleshy and covered with a peel that secretes a juice similar to red ink.
- May red. This variety is the earliest. The fruits are collected already in May.
- Concubine's smile. This variety is very ancient and early ripening. The fruits and the peel with which they are covered exude red juice.
Properties of lychee fruit: harm and benefit
Beneficial features
Lychee fruits contain many substances beneficial to the human body, for example: vitamins E, K, C, H, PP and group B (B1, B3, B6), magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iodine, manganese, zinc, selenium, iron, calcium, potassium, pectins and organic acids. In oriental medicine, such fruits are used to normalize sugar levels in diabetes mellitus, improve the functioning of the liver, kidneys and lungs, and they also help in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. For cardiovascular diseases, it is also recommended to eat lychees, because the pulp of the fruit contains potassium. They are also very useful to use for high cholesterol levels in the blood, anemia, intestinal dysfunction and pancreas diseases. Such fruits are considered an aphrodisiac in Hindu medicine, which improves male strength and libido.
Contraindications
Lychee fruits are contraindicated only for those who have individual intolerance. These fruits have no other contraindications. However, stale fruits with dark skin should not be eaten because they can cause intestinal upset.
Lychees are beautiful exotic fruit-bearing trees that can be grown at home only from seeds brought from a tourist trip. The disadvantage of such propagation is the inability of a tree grown from a seed to inherit maternal varietal characteristics, but this should not stop you if you want to get your own exotic tree.
Planting and germination of homemade lychee
Each lychee fruit contains one large round seed. For planting, choose smooth, dense, without flaws. It happens that the fruit contains a wrinkled, underdeveloped seed; this should not be used for planting, it is not capable of producing a tree.
If you have a couple of seeds, then plant them in separate containers. A universal substrate is suitable for planting, to which you can additionally add sand or perlite, vermiculite for looseness; there should be a thick layer of drainage at the bottom. The seeds must be planted in an already evenly moistened substrate to a depth of 2-3 cm. Set up a greenhouse and place the containers in a warm (25-34 °C) well-lit place. The condition of the soil in the greenhouse must be monitored and, if necessary, additionally moistened.
Lychee seeds usually germinate within a month, but sometimes later. After you notice the seedlings, the greenhouse must be removed and placed in a place with good lighting, without access to direct sunlight, protected from drafts, since the young trees must still get stronger.
Young lychees grow actively at first, but having reached a height of 30 cm, they will stop growing for the first 2 years, as the formation of a strong root system begins, so during this period it must be replanted frequently.
You can read about detailed care for the lychee tree in a separate publication.
