Varieties of Australian Longan

Species

• The wild species of this tree grows to be 30 to 40 feet tall, with a spread of about 45 feet. The tree has rough bark and spreading, drooping branches covered in evergreen, alternate leaves that may grow to be 8 inches long. Its leaves have a waxy texture on the top and a hairy texture on their underside. The longan tree produces pale yellow flowers followed by drooping clusters of fruits covered in a pebbled, light brown rind.

Kohala

• "Kohala" is a superior longan variety that was introduced in 1954 by William Whitman of Miami. A Hawaiian cultivar, Kohala produces small-seeded large fruits that have a sweet, slightly spicy flesh with a strong aroma. The tree produces fruits in midsummer. Fruits of this cultivar are generally larger than those of the species. According to the University of Florida, 99 percent of longan trees planted in Florida are Kohala cultivars.

Thai Cultivars

• Thai cultivars include "Diamond River" and "Biew Kiew." Diamond River produces fruit yearly late in the season, although fruit quality is not high and the tree often loses limbs, especially in windy conditions. Biew Kiew produces regular yields of late-season fruit, though it must have a cool winter in order to flower and fruit properly. The fruit is high quality. Both cultivars are widely cultivated in Puerto Rico, Florida and Hawaii.

Other Cultivars

• Other cultivars include "Early Rice," also known as "Tsao Ho," which produces early fruits, and "Snake Skin," also called "She P'i," a large-fruited tree that produces rough skinned, poor quality fruits that appear very late in the growing season. "Flower Skin," also known as "Hua Kioh," is a rarely propagated, poor quality cultivar. Improved options cultivated in Taiwan include "Fukien Lungan," a cultivar from China, and the late-fruiting "Lungan Late."