Author Topic: Longan in season  (Read 10632 times)

JF

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Longan in season
« on: September 21, 2012, 11:35:57 PM »
sweet juice Kohala Longan are all over the place - here are 3 trees. These fruits are delicious I like them as much as Sweetheart lychee....I think I'll keep my tree.






cuban007

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2012, 12:41:29 AM »
J, nice, healthy looking tree.

bsbullie

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2012, 12:47:54 AM »
They don't look ripe yet.  Here in SFla, when the crop is good they can be great, flavor and sweetness, but this does not occur every year.  Some years they can be bland, watery and not very sweet.  I know to each his own but I could never say they are as good as a fresh, ripe, juice sweet lychee.
- Rob

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2012, 03:55:45 AM »
Correct spelling for that longan cultivar should be illau, not ilian.

<Kohalas are a nice tasting longan. But i'm with Rob on this one...to my taste buds they're never as good as a lychee. I know there are some people that like longans more than lychee, but i think they are a very small minority, at least here, where lychees usually cost more and sell far faster.
I like the sweet/sour/slightly bitter complex taste and aroma of lychees. Longans are sweet/spicy, but don't have any sour zing or the nice fragrance of lychees.
BTW, my Ilian longan is loaded with fruits for first time. I'm looking forward to tasting this cultivar for first time.>
Oscar

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2012, 03:41:23 PM »
I have an on going debate with a close friend about the realtive desireability of longan vs. lychee.  He prefers longan and says, "Most Chinese prefer longan over lychee."  I have no evidence to refute this. He has done some travel in China, I have not. He acts like his preference for longan over lychee somehow is demonstrative of his superior palate.  To which I politely say, "Hogwash!"  I have posted about this previously asking for some input from some of our member who may be Chinese or have more extensive contact with the Chinese community.  Every Chinese person I speak to says they like both and that it is difficult to pick one over the other.  But I have not nearly questioned enough folk to constitute a statistical sample. I love a good longan, but it doesn't compare to a good lychee in my book.  Could I hear from some Chinese please to settle this once and for all?
Harry
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siafu

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2012, 07:21:04 PM »
 Hi,

 I'm hoping to pick my first longans in the coming weeks. Kohalas are almost ready, the others (Biew Kiew, Choopo and Haew) seem to be several weeks behind the kohalas.
 
 I'm quite happy to have them both. While lychees are tastier, more meaty and with a sharper flavor, in my location, longans mature later than lychees, so
 they are not directly competing. Moreover, longans are far easier to grow than lychees. I find lychees very temperamental trees.

 

 
Sérgio Duarte
Algarve, Portugal

--Vale sempre a pena, quando a alma não é pequena!

luc

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2012, 09:36:14 PM »
That reminds me to check mine , but I am afraid it's gonna be a poor crop this year . In general my lichee production is a lot better than the longans .
Luc Vleeracker
Puerto Vallarta
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20 degrees north

fruitlovers

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2012, 01:54:01 AM »
Hi,

 I'm hoping to pick my first longans in the coming weeks. Kohalas are almost ready, the others (Biew Kiew, Choopo and Haew) seem to be several weeks behind the kohalas.
 
 I'm quite happy to have them both. While lychees are tastier, more meaty and with a sharper flavor, in my location, longans mature later than lychees, so
 they are not directly competing. Moreover, longans are far easier to grow than lychees. I find lychees very temperamental trees.

Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.
Oscar

siafu

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2012, 07:31:33 AM »
Hi,

 I'm hoping to pick my first longans in the coming weeks. Kohalas are almost ready, the others (Biew Kiew, Choopo and Haew) seem to be several weeks behind the kohalas.
 
 I'm quite happy to have them both. While lychees are tastier, more meaty and with a sharper flavor, in my location, longans mature later than lychees, so
 they are not directly competing. Moreover, longans are far easier to grow than lychees. I find lychees very temperamental trees.

Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

Isn't a more adaptable plant the very definition of a easier plant to grow?
For me, Longans are easier because they much more vigorous than lychees; more tolerant of wind conditions; and, they seem to hold fruit easier than lychees.

Lychees can bloom heavily and in the end produce just an handful of fruits or none.
Sérgio Duarte
Algarve, Portugal

--Vale sempre a pena, quando a alma não é pequena!

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2012, 11:05:05 AM »
Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

fruilovers

Would you please share the trick how to get longan fruit
my relatives have longan trees, but most of them get very little fruit or none
sometimes they have flowers, but won't produce fruit. Or they will become fruits but will fall at the very early stage

Thank you so much


JF----Thank you for sharing. Your fruit trees are always very impressive.

bsbullie

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2012, 11:25:59 AM »
Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

fruilovers

Would you please share the trick how to get longan fruit
my relatives have longan trees, but most of them get very little fruit or none
sometimes they have flowers, but won't produce fruit. Or they will become fruits but will fall at the very early stage

Thank you so much


JF----Thank you for sharing. Your fruit trees are always very impressive.
I am not Oscar but I believe if you read his second after the sentence you bolded that is what he is referring to.  Here in Florida it is the same...Lychees not only naturally tend not to provide a "true" full crop every year consistently but they are also very fussy in producing with respect to the weather condition during the blooming/setting season.  Longans on the other hand do not seem to have the particular requirements and they tend to set fruit not only every year but they more adaptive in that they will bloom and set fruit regardless of the climate (they do not have the "strict" climate conditions that a lychee have).
- Rob

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2012, 06:34:49 PM »
Hi,

 I'm hoping to pick my first longans in the coming weeks. Kohalas are almost ready, the others (Biew Kiew, Choopo and Haew) seem to be several weeks behind the kohalas.
 
 I'm quite happy to have them both. While lychees are tastier, more meaty and with a sharper flavor, in my location, longans mature later than lychees, so
 they are not directly competing. Moreover, longans are far easier to grow than lychees. I find lychees very temperamental trees.

Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

Isn't a more adaptable plant the very definition of a easier plant to grow?
For me, Longans are easier because they much more vigorous than lychees; more tolerant of wind conditions; and, they seem to hold fruit easier than lychees.

Lychees can bloom heavily and in the end produce just an handful of fruits or none.

I think you missed my point Rob. Here lychee trees grow just as easily as longan trees, maybe even easier. BUT they don't fruit as easily. It's a similar situation with mangos, grow great but climate not inducive to fruiting. So the fact that a plant is less adaptable in terms of fruiting well is not equivalent to it growing well. Lots of plants grow great here and never fruit.
Oscar

fruitlovers

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2012, 06:38:30 PM »
Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

fruilovers

Would you please share the trick how to get longan fruit
my relatives have longan trees, but most of them get very little fruit or none
sometimes they have flowers, but won't produce fruit. Or they will become fruits but will fall at the very early stage

Thank you so much


JF----Thank you for sharing. Your fruit trees are always very impressive.

Like i mentioned in my previous, the trick is potassium chlorate. It is a chemical that stresses the tree into flowering. It can be applied foliarly or as a drench. It is better to use it on leaves as it is injurious to soil micro organisms. Good to put down a tarp on ground when spraying. Don't get it on your skin, as it is a strong oxidizer. But best is to find cultivars of longans that are well adapted to your area and don't need to be artificially tricked into fruiting.
Oscar

fruitlovers

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #13 on: September 23, 2012, 06:42:44 PM »
Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

fruilovers

Would you please share the trick how to get longan fruit
my relatives have longan trees, but most of them get very little fruit or none
sometimes they have flowers, but won't produce fruit. Or they will become fruits but will fall at the very early stage

Thank you so much


JF----Thank you for sharing. Your fruit trees are always very impressive.
I am not Oscar but I believe if you read his second after the sentence you bolded that is what he is referring to.  Here in Florida it is the same...Lychees not only naturally tend not to provide a "true" full crop every year consistently but they are also very fussy in producing with respect to the weather condition during the blooming/setting season. Longans on the other hand do not seem to have the particular requirements and they tend to set fruit not only every year but they more adaptive in that they will bloom and set fruit regardless of the climate (they do not have the "strict" climate conditions that a lychee have).


I don't think this is true at all Rob. Longans also have definite requirements in order to fruit consistently. It's a well known fact that Kohala is an irregular bearer. Here it hardly ever bears well, and i've heard that in Florida it also doesn't fruit well every year. So longans also have tropical and sub tropical types. That is one reason varieties like Diamond River are promoted in tropical areas, because they will fruit consistently there, whereas most longans being sub tropical types will not.
Oscar

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2012, 09:29:49 PM »
thank you fruitlovers & bsbullie for your reply to my question

I will try that next year


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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #15 on: September 23, 2012, 11:10:47 PM »
Longans aren't easier to grow than lychees, they are just easier to get them to fruit. I think longan is a more widely adapted plant. Lychees more fussy about exact climate to stimulate flowering. Also with longan there is the magic bullet: potassium chlorate. It's possible though that some day similar solution will be found for the lychee.

fruilovers

Would you please share the trick how to get longan fruit
my relatives have longan trees, but most of them get very little fruit or none
sometimes they have flowers, but won't produce fruit. Or they will become fruits but will fall at the very early stage

Thank you so much


JF----Thank you for sharing. Your fruit trees are always very impressive.
I am not Oscar but I believe if you read his second after the sentence you bolded that is what he is referring to.  Here in Florida it is the same...Lychees not only naturally tend not to provide a "true" full crop every year consistently but they are also very fussy in producing with respect to the weather condition during the blooming/setting season. Longans on the other hand do not seem to have the particular requirements and they tend to set fruit not only every year but they more adaptive in that they will bloom and set fruit regardless of the climate (they do not have the "strict" climate conditions that a lychee have).


I don't think this is true at all Rob. Longans also have definite requirements in order to fruit consistently. It's a well known fact that Kohala is an irregular bearer. Here it hardly ever bears well, and i've heard that in Florida it also doesn't fruit well every year. So longans also have tropical and sub tropical types. That is one reason varieties like Diamond River are promoted in tropical areas, because they will fruit consistently there, whereas most longans being sub tropical types will not.
Oscar - odd that is your experience because from what I have seen, either first hand or the result of others fruit harvest, longan seems to be less finicky and much more consistent.  Obviously I am not commenting on what occurs in Hawaii just as what may occur in Florida may not be, and most likely isn't, the same as in California.  Even in Florida, I am sure different locales can have different results, I am just commenting on what I have seen personally.  One thing I will say is comparing when both lychees and longas fruit (in SFla), the quality of the lychee is much more consistent than that of a longan.

Lets get a take from someone with many varieties of both lychees and longans on their property..calling Mr. Hausman (yes, I know this year was dreadful with respect to lychees but what is your experience from year to year as a whole?)...
- Rob

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #16 on: September 23, 2012, 11:16:41 PM »
I have an on going debate with a close friend about the realtive desireability of longan vs. lychee.  He prefers longan and says, "Most Chinese prefer longan over lychee."  I have no evidence to refute this. He has done some travel in China, I have not. He acts like his preference for longan over lychee somehow is demonstrative of his superior palate.  To which I politely say, "Hogwash!"  I have posted about this previously asking for some input from some of our member who may be Chinese or have more extensive contact with the Chinese community.  Every Chinese person I speak to says they like both and that it is difficult to pick one over the other.  But I have not nearly questioned enough folk to constitute a statistical sample. I love a good longan, but it doesn't compare to a good lychee in my book.  Could I hear from some Chinese please to settle this once and for all?

Harry, if you want ammunition, point to all the work being done to produce super new cultivars of Lychee, as opposed to Longans. The Chinese wouldnt go to those lenghts for an inferior fruit.

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #17 on: September 23, 2012, 11:19:34 PM »
Rob, yes you are right that longans are less finicky than lychees. BUT longans are still finicky never the less. If you don't have the right cultivar in the right place they may never or hardly ever fruit. Why do you think potassium chlorate is so widely used on longans? It's not because they are regular bearers! In some places without potassium chlorate you will hardly ever see a longan.
Oscar

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #18 on: September 23, 2012, 11:24:39 PM »
I have an on going debate with a close friend about the realtive desireability of longan vs. lychee.  He prefers longan and says, "Most Chinese prefer longan over lychee."  I have no evidence to refute this. He has done some travel in China, I have not. He acts like his preference for longan over lychee somehow is demonstrative of his superior palate.  To which I politely say, "Hogwash!"  I have posted about this previously asking for some input from some of our member who may be Chinese or have more extensive contact with the Chinese community.  Every Chinese person I speak to says they like both and that it is difficult to pick one over the other.  But I have not nearly questioned enough folk to constitute a statistical sample. I love a good longan, but it doesn't compare to a good lychee in my book.  Could I hear from some Chinese please to settle this once and for all?

Harry, if you want ammunition, point to all the work being done to produce super new cultivars of Lychee, as opposed to Longans. The Chinese wouldnt go to those lenghts for an inferior fruit.

I don't think you need to be Chinese to figure out that lychee is the king of fruits in China. The Chinese have been waxing poetically about this fruit for well over a thousand years. I think the longan is well appreciated also, especially in part due to it's associated medicinal uses. But it's not on a par with lychee as the much beloved Chinese fruit. As good evidence you could take tonnage produced of either fruit, and market costs of either fruit. Guess which one is higher?
Oscar

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #19 on: September 23, 2012, 11:35:01 PM »
Rob, yes you are right that longans are less finicky than lychees. BUT longans are still finicky never the less. If you don't have the right cultivar in the right place they may never or hardly ever fruit. Why do you think potassium chlorate is so widely used on longans? It's not because they are regular bearers! In some places without potassium chlorate you will hardly ever see a longan.
I won't argue with that globally, just commenting on "back yard" growers in "my" area (I know there are more commercial lychee growers locally than longan growers but I suspect that is due to the demand for the lychee and price they can fetch...though with the recent struggles of crop consistency and the Mexicans flooding the market with cheap lychees, the local commercial growers are fading somewhat).
- Rob

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #20 on: September 26, 2012, 06:20:07 PM »
This year lychees were costing less than longan for a while. I would say for similar quality fruit the longan is more expensive here this year. They're 1.29/lb now but they're very unfresh. The $4 ones were similar quality to the $2.xx lychee

This happened in china too where they converted lots of land to lychee and now it's not worth spraying or fertilizing.

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #21 on: September 26, 2012, 07:20:28 PM »
This year lychees were costing less than longan for a while. I would say for similar quality fruit the longan is more expensive here this year. They're 1.29/lb now but they're very unfresh. The $4 ones were similar quality to the $2.xx lychee

This happened in china too where they converted lots of land to lychee and now it's not worth spraying or fertilizing.

Yes, and why did they convert lots of land in China to lychee production?
Oscar

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #22 on: September 27, 2012, 09:49:37 PM »
Any way to determine the type of long an from the fruit once it is planted?

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Re: Longan in season
« Reply #23 on: September 28, 2012, 09:56:28 AM »
Any way to determine the type of long an from the fruit once it is planted?

Usually, if it is a commecially produced cultivar.  if it is a seedling, no ID is possible.
Harry
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