Kaimana Lychee

[jc]

I'm interested in planting out a Kaimana lychee.  I'm curious if anyone has any experience, good, bad, or otherwise, with this cultivar in the Treasure Coast (southeastern) area of Florida. Are there any folks that are growing it in eastern Palm Beach, Martin, or St. Lucie county?  (Dry, sandy soil.)  How are the growth and production characteristics? 

I know PIN says it doesn't produce well in FL but I understand King Harry has Kaimanas that produce well. 

I've done some searching on the forum but can't seem to get any info specific to my area, Treasure Coast.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

[BENDERSGROVE]

Great tasting lychee, slow grower here in Broward, gets chlorotic from time to time, we give it nutritional supplements to keep it healthy.

[Doglips]

Great tasting lychee, slow grower here in Broward, gets chlorotic from time to time, we give it nutritional supplements to keep it healthy.

What are you finding it to be deficient in?

[jc]

Hey Mike, do you attribute that to the calcareous soil, locking out the minor elements?  I haven't had many issues up north, I also spray chelated minors regularly.

slow grower here in Broward, gets chlorotic from time to time

I guess I also need to know if their are any sources for Kaimana other than PIN?  That's about a 120 mile trip one way. 

[Squam256]

Kaimana might be the best lychee I've had.....but it definitely seems to produce pretty poorly in SFL.

I have a friend growing it a couple miles away and I believe his tree has never produced a full crop in 8 or 9 years of having it.

[Patrick]

I have one planted out in WPB.  It is slower growing that my others but seems to be okay nutritionally.  I also have another one well rooted in a 15 gallon pot that I bought two years ago at PIN that I am willing to sell if you are interested.  I would sell it as a seven gallon because of the size!

[jc]

Huh!  So is King Harry the only SFL forum member that has a productive Kaimana?

Kaimana might be the best lychee I've had.....but it definitely seems to produce pretty poorly in SFL.

I have a friend growing it a couple miles away and I believe his tree has never produced a full crop in 8 or 9 years of having it.

[jc]

If you or Zena are going to be around, I'll call to set up a time to check it out.  Brooks Tropicals, coming through again!

I have one planted out in WPB.  It is slower growing that my others but seems to be okay nutritionally.  I also have another one well rooted in a 15 gallon pot that I bought two years ago at PIN that I am willing to sell if you are interested.  I would sell it as a seven gallon because of the size!

[Patrick]

We will be here throughout the holiday! I have a few of the new Juicy Peach and Iman Pasand releases available in three gallon too! $30 for the mangoes, with another 10% off for forum members as always!

[Mike T]

Kaimana trees are being sold at nurseries here and fruit are being sold at the markets. The fruit are similar to the local Haak yip and fetching the same price as Mauritius (thai so) but a little less than FZS and Yook ho pow (sum yee hong) which are the 2 whoppers.I thought those kaimana I tried were very nice but the word is that this variety is an unreliable bearer in Australia.

[fruitlovers]

Kaimana is a very good fruit, some quite large sized. It's touted as a reliable bearer here, but i find that far from the truth. It  is just more reliable than some of the older varieties planted here. I think there is a lot more room for improvement in that department. I find B3 is more reliable here, but not as good quality.

[BMc]

Kaimana is good and in line with other cvs from the Haak Yip tribe like Sah keng. They reportedly bear well in dry areas. I'm currently getti g into a bag of lychees each 40-55g and 85% chicken tongue. I tried asking the shop assistant what they were, but couldn't get a cv ID. They kill the Fei zee Sui next to them in the fridge. My son prefers the B3 though, and it bears best over a massive range here, outside of the big seed varieties.

[Mike T]

BMc they must be sum yee hong (yook ho pow) as they are the only ones beside FZS that routinely can be over 50g.

[jc]

I'm thinking I should pass on the Kaimana.  I don't have enough space for an unreliable lychee.
Thanks for the help.

[Patrick]

[jc]

Nice looking, I'm just afraid of having an "ornamental" lychee.

I already have a sweetheart. I'm starting to consider a Brewster or Bosworth 3. I know the Brewster will be pretty reliable as far as lychees go. How about the Kwai Mai Pink/B-3?

[Patrick]

Mauritius is a pretty reliable bearer.  Brewster has huge seeds.

[jc]

Is Mauritius more vigorous than Brewster?  I like the flavor of both but I prefer the Brewster.

[Squam256]

Is Mauritius more vigorous than Brewster? 

Not really, and its a more consistent producer than Brewster.

[jc]

My Palm Beach guys have sold me on Maritius. Thank you gentlemen.

Patrick,  do you know if Zill's has and 7 or 15 gal Maritius?

[BENDERSGROVE]

Sorry for the delay in the response, for whatever reason at least for me the Kaimana tends too get a little chlorotic, I give it cheated iron and it greens right up, the fruit I have tasted at PIN were excellent, just a real slow grower for me.

[AnnonAddict]

Great Lychee, I love my tree... easy to grow, easy to air-layer. Not such a good fruiter, fruits irregularally for me. I had about 100 flowers and about 2 fruits set, and out of the fruits that set only one became ripe. The flavor was amazing... it was very succullent and juicy, with citrusy overtones and a very small seed, overall it was a 10/10 tasting experience but a 3/10 for fruits set. I think you should get one, I highly reccomend it, fast grower too, leaves are elongated and waxy, they are very brittle too.

[jc]

AA, which lychee are you referring to?

Great Lychee, I love my tree... easy to grow, easy to air-layer. Not such a good fruiter, fruits irregularally for me. I had about 100 flowers and about 2 fruits set, and out of the fruits that set only one became ripe. The flavor was amazing... it was very succullent and juicy, with citrusy overtones and a very small seed, overall it was a 10/10 tasting experience but a 3/10 for fruits set. I think you should get one, I highly reccomend it, fast grower too, leaves are elongated and waxy, they are very brittle too.

[jc]

No worries, Mike!

Sorry for the delay in the response, for whatever reason at least for me the Kaimana tends too get a little chlorotic, I give it cheated iron and it greens right up, the fruit I have tasted at PIN were excellent, just a real slow grower for me.

[AnnonAddict]

AA, which lychee are you referring to?

Great Lychee, I love my tree... easy to grow, easy to air-layer. Not such a good fruiter, fruits irregularally for me. I had about 100 flowers and about 2 fruits set, and out of the fruits that set only one became ripe. The flavor was amazing... it was very succullent and juicy, with citrusy overtones and a very small seed, overall it was a 10/10 tasting experience but a 3/10 for fruits set. I think you should get one, I highly reccomend it, fast grower too, leaves are elongated and waxy, they are very brittle too.

Kaimana, sorry I forgot to mention it.