Longan Fruit Trees

Tree Size

• The longan tree is evergreen in nature and has a symmetrical, mature form. The tree has a potential height of up to 100 feet. However, in cultivation the tree usually does not exceed 30 to 40 feet with an equal spread. Longan tree bark is corky in texture and the crown is oblong or round. The climate and soil greatly affect tree size.

Description

• The foliage of the longan tree is nearly 12 inches long, blunt tipped and wavy margined. The compound, pinnate leaves are dark green and leathery, composed of six to nine leaflets. The small, greenish-yellow to brownish-yellow flowers cluster to create inflorescences, referred to as panicles, and range between 4 and 18 inches long. Each panicle eventually produces a few to nearly 350 longan fruits.

Fruit

• Longan fruit is sweet and juicy, much like lychee. The spherical to ovoid fruit has a diameter of 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches, weighing about 1 oz. each. The white, translucent pulp does not stick to the seed and is contained in a tan or light-brown, leathery skin with a smoother texture than a lychee. Each fruit contains a shiny, round, brown to dark-brown seed. Longan fruit takes 140 to 190 days from flowering to harvest time.

Cultural Requirements

• The growth requirements of the longan tree are similar to lychee. The tree is best adapted to growing in warm, subtropical regions with short, dry, cool and frost-free winters. Flowering and fruit set is aided by 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit spring and 80 to 95 F summer temperature. The tree adapts to a variety of well-drained soil types including dry, but prefers regular irrigation between flowering and harvest time. Avoid planting in wet or flooded sites. Though the seeds may be used for propagation, these plants do not grow true.