BEST LYCHEE FOR HOME YARDS

[Fish Have Feelings]

Hello Forum,
I have 2 yound lychees in my yard that have just started producing a Hak ip and a Sweet heart (sweetheart image from this am below). I would like to add another lychee and am curious about the kwa mai pink. Has anyone had success with that cultivar? What would YOU plant?

Thanks

[FruitGrower]

I have 8 trees of 6 different varieties and the only one that flowered for me this year was my Kwai Mai pink. Unfortunately, all of the fruits fell off so I can’t comment on taste but at least it flowered.
If I we’re going to go for one more variety, I would go with Mauritius. Even though I like the taste of Brewster better, it seems Mauritius is less problematic and more productive in this area.

[bsbullie]

For SE Florida,  go with Brewster.  It has a big seed but flavor and sweetness is really good.  It also comes in after Sweetheart.   Mauritius is an option but it is my least preferred variety (it is usually picked slightly early and has a more tart/subacid component that I do not like in a lychee...let it go dead ripe and taste is off).

Brewster used to be SFla's commercial variety but has been replaced by Mauritius.

[Galatians522]

Wayne Clifton (originator of the Dream Anona) only had two lychee trees in his fruit collection. Sweet Song and Kwai mai pink. I don't know how they handle the limestone down south, though.

[bsbullie]

Wayne Clifton (originator of the Dream Anona) only had two lychee trees in his fruit collection. Sweet Song and Kwai mai pink. I don't know how they handle the limestone down south, though.

While I am not discounting the quality of Kwai Mai Pink/Bosworth 3, it just dies not seem to produce well/consistent in SE Florida.  I have seen it produce but not on a level one would be happy.  It does seem to do well on the West coast of Florida.

[Galatians522]

That is good to know and would explain why it is not more popular in Florida. Wayne claimed that his tree fruited every year in Bradenton.

[dm]

For SE Florida,  go with Brewster.  It has a big seed but flavor and sweetness is really good.  It also comes in after Sweetheart.   Mauritius is an option but it is my least preferred variety (it is usually picked slightly early and has a more tart/subacid component that I do not like in a lychee...let it go dead ripe and taste is off).

Brewster used to be SFla's commercial variety but has been replaced by Mauritius.

Curious: You mention Brewster comes in after sweetheart. Then why not recommending sweetheart instead of or before Brewster in SE Florida?
Thanks

[Mike T]

My san su lin (jumbo seedless) i now planted and it has to be a helluva variety to knock the Erdon Lee (allegedly the most expensive and finest variety) off the planting list. It is shooting but I am at the fringe of where lychees can fruit due to insufficient chill.

[tkondal]

 I would like to try the Erdon Lee variety. I'm in Southern California. Any suppliers who can ship here?

[bsbullie]

For SE Florida,  go with Brewster.  It has a big seed but flavor and sweetness is really good.  It also comes in after Sweetheart.   Mauritius is an option but it is my least preferred variety (it is usually picked slightly early and has a more tart/subacid component that I do not like in a lychee...let it go dead ripe and taste is off).

Brewster used to be SFla's commercial variety but has been replaced by Mauritius.

Curious: You mention Brewster comes in after sweetheart. Then why not recommending sweetheart instead of or before Brewster in SE Florida?
Thanks

If you READ the OP's post, you will see he already has Sweetheart.

[cbss_daviefl]

I planted a Kwai Mai Pink 6 and a half years ago. Lychees grow slow in my yard due to compacted gravel with a sprinkling of top soil. The tree is 7 ft tall by 9ft wide. This is the first year with a decent crop on it. I have already picked my sweetheart, kaimana, no mai tse, and hak ip. I will pick my mauritius this weekend. The Kwai Mai Pink, Ohia, and Emperor are still green and maybe 2 - 4 weeks out. I didn't plant brewster until recently due to its reputation for fruiting less frequently then mauritius. I think it will be hard to predict which variety would be best for your specific situation. I would go for extended season or the variety you enjoy the most outside of what you already have.

[Julie]

I’ve tasted Mauritius, Brewster and sweetheart and I think Mauritius is the best tasting. Taste is very subjective especially for tropical fruit. My question is how much you can really extend the season with multiple varieties? My Brewster lychee has fruit on the same tree ripening at different times. The fruit has been ready for at least 5 days now and it’s supposed to be one of the later varieties.

[gnappi]

I have a sweetheart (in ground 11 years) that has fruited for the last two years, and has been a somewhat shy bearer but the fruit are delicious. I was tempted to pull it but Rob (bsbullie) encouraged me to be patient and gave me a few tips which I am glad I took, and I kept it.

My Mauritius (in ground 10 years) which was far smaller when I got it has it's first crop this year and this first crop seems a couple of weeks behind the sweetheart so I've tasted but a few but they were not as good as the sweetheart which is more juicy and sweeter.

Both are handsome trees with a nice not too dense canopy, they are my fave trees.

Reading that longan may require less chilling hours, I wanted to hedge my bets on fruit availability so I planted a Biew Kiew longan (in ground 5 years) from the seed of a fruit I had 8 years or so ago.

[beicadad]

I have a sweetheart (in ground 11 years) that has fruited for the last two years, and has been a somewhat shy bearer but the fruit are delicious. I was tempted to pull it but Rob (bsbullie) encouraged me to be patient and gave me a few tips which I am glad I took, and I kept it.

My Mauritius (in ground 10 years) which was far smaller when I got it has it's first crop this year and this first crop seems a couple of weeks behind the sweetheart so I've tasted but a few but they were not as good as the sweetheart which is more juicy and sweeter.

Both are handsome trees with a nice not too dense canopy, they are my fave trees.

Reading that longan may require less chilling hours, I wanted to hedge my bets on fruit availability so I planted a Biew Kiew longan (in ground 5 years) from the seed of a fruit I had 8 years or so ago.

Can you share the tips that Rob gave you to improve sweetheart production? I’m in CA so not sure if these tips apply but would be good to know. Thanks

[gnappi]

I have a sweetheart (in ground 11 years) that has fruited for the last two years, and has been a somewhat shy bearer but the fruit are delicious. I was tempted to pull it but Rob (bsbullie) encouraged me to be patient and gave me a few tips which I am glad I took, and I kept it.

My Mauritius (in ground 10 years) which was far smaller when I got it has it's first crop this year and this first crop seems a couple of weeks behind the sweetheart so I've tasted but a few but they were not as good as the sweetheart which is more juicy and sweeter.

Both are handsome trees with a nice not too dense canopy, they are my fave trees.

Reading that longan may require less chilling hours, I wanted to hedge my bets on fruit availability so I planted a Biew Kiew longan (in ground 5 years) from the seed of a fruit I had 8 years or so ago.

Can you share the tips that Rob gave you to improve sweetheart production? I’m in CA so not sure if these tips apply but would be good to know. Thanks

First off... patience, my tree was at the time in ground maybe 7-8 years and was advised that 10+ years in ground was a decent starting place to hope for blooms.

I had not pruned mine, and was watering in winter. Pruning after the season, and removing water totally as well seemed to help. Every year I have gotten more fruit out of it. This year its bloom was spectacular but most fruit did not set... No pollinators about. Despite that, while not a bumper crop I'd guess I've taken 8-10 pounds from it so far.

I had flowered a few times a while back, but set fruit only last year.  Maybe if I keep the beehive that appeared in my yard yesterday I'll set more fruit next year.

[dm]

For SE Florida,  go with Brewster.  It has a big seed but flavor and sweetness is really good.  It also comes in after Sweetheart.   Mauritius is an option but it is my least preferred variety (it is usually picked slightly early and has a more tart/subacid component that I do not like in a lychee...let it go dead ripe and taste is off).

Brewster used to be SFla's commercial variety but has been replaced by Mauritius.

Curious: You mention Brewster comes in after sweetheart. Then why not recommending sweetheart instead of or before Brewster in SE Florida?
Thanks

If you READ the OP's post, you will see he already has Sweetheart.

Yea, I missed that. 

Thanks!

[beicadad]

Thanks for sharing Gary. My sweetheart has been a shybearer.

[bsbullie]

Proper watering schedule is key.  Not enough water and no blooms.  Too much water and you get vegetative growth.  It right amount of water at right time. 

Proper fertilization is important,  too.  Potassium is key for quality fruit.

I cant tell you what and when fir California.