Best Lychee Tree in California in terms of Size and Yield

[MoorparkMan]

Just wondering if anyone has pictures of their opinion on the best lychee tree in California(North and South)+ Possibly some growing tips
I personally think this one is a gem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UGXvig2_Oo

[johnb51]

He says in the comments that it's a Sweetheart lychee.  I believe others in SoCal have posted pictures on the forum of Sweetheart trees with lots of fruit.

[MoorparkMan]

Anyone have any pictures of there successful lychee trees in California?

[K-Rimes]

I've seen good size brewsters in CA frequently. I planted one in my gf's family's yard a year ago, still really small but it seems to be getting its feet and leafing out nicely this year.

[spaugh]

They seem to be doing ok here.  The first 2 or 3 years they grow slowly then start to pick up the speed.  I planted at least 12 trees.  Last year a few of my trees made fruit that made it to fully ripe stage towards the end of the year.

Theres was a smart guy on here from Florida that said only chemical fertilizers work well for lychee.  But Ive just been giving mine mulch and organic composts and fertilizers and they seem fine.  Cotton seed meal, chicken manure, that sort of stuff.  They seem to like organic matter, well drai ed soil, plenty of water, and acidic amendments.  As well as 30% shade for the first few years if you are growing in a hot inland area. 

Theres a nursery in Vista CA that has hundreds of trees for sale as well as lots of very large in geound specimens.  I had posted pics of the place a year or 2 ago. 

The one it that video looks great.

[sapote]

They seem to be doing ok here.  The first 2 or 3 years they grow slowly then start to pick up the speed.  I planted at least 12 trees. 

Hey Brad, how big were your trees when they were planted on ground full sun? I had bad luck growing lychee -- they were 24" tall and  all dead in hot summer in Burbank even I gave them water every day. The leaves slowly got brown and dried. This time Bill (Best Day) suggested not to plant it on ground until it is bigger tree.

Brian

[spaugh]

I put them all in ground right when i got them.  Some were 1gal, some 5 gal, some 7 gal size.  I put 30% shades over them until they were about 4 tall and wide.

They really dont need daily water.  Especially daily doses of city water with all the chlorine cant be good.  Surely your ground holds more water than that.  My soil drain quite well and I only water once or twice a week in mid summer.  Havent watered in weeks now its winter.

[johnb51]

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=31512.msg347387#msg347387
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=19995.msg248674#msg24867
You could do a search and come up with more.  Lychee's been discussed a lot.

[Johnny Eat Fruit]

Based on my experience my two lychee Trees (Mauritius and Bruster) grow well at my location. They are more attractive and much easier to cultivate overall than my Mango Trees. Enclosed are a few photos as references.

The first photo is of a Brewster Lychee tree in front of OC Farm supply in the city of Orange. Chris told me this tree is 10 years old and produces well. By mid-July, most of the fruit was already picked by their customers.  The other two photos are from the two trees I planted in July 2020 from 15-gallon containers. Both of my trees in the ground appear to be doing well. I recommend these trees for So Cal Growing.

Johnny


10 year old Brewster Lychee (July 2021)


Mauritius Lychee Tree (1-19-2022)


Brewster Lychee Tree (1-19-2022)

[johnb51]

They all look good for SoCal, Brewster, Mauritius, and Sweetheart.  The mature Mauritius tree in my community, 30 to 40 ft. tall, produced a ton of amazingly delicious fruit last summer.

[sc4001992]

I vote Brewster. Tree is vigorous, easy to care for, but one thing to remember is the following:

-> DO NOT PLANT CLOSE TO HOUSE  {give 10-15 ft clearance}

Here's my 35 year old Brewster I planted next to the front thinking it would be a nice medium size tree, Wrong!
But it is very productive, about 30-50 lbs of fruits each season, and tastes good. I'm in Fullerton CA.

[MoorparkMan]

1.How do you prevent it from getting damaged by the wind, meaning what did you go so that it got so big

2.Do you water with any special water to prevent tip burning?

[yoski]

I am in FL, so that's a bit different from CA. I have Brewster, Sweet Heart, Hak IP and Mauritius in my yard. The Sweet Heart produces the best fruit, but also is the main diet of the Srilankan Weevil (little white bug). The Brewster and Hak IP have no problems with any pests. The Mauritius has a few weevils once in a while but not enough to be a problem. For me the Mauritius is the best compromise between quality, production and maintenance.

[boxturtle]

Mauritius and Brewster are proven varieties to produce.  Sweetheart is pretty new, mine is about 7 years in ground.  Last year was the first official year it fruited.  It wasn't much but it was very high quality fruit.  In my opinion lychee does well in 10a or 10b.  Look for a 15gallon tree if you can.  I put mine in ground in full sun, at least 12hrs and had no problem. Wind protection is surrounding structures or trees.  My Sweetheart is super picky only thing that doesn't give it tip burn is oscomete, highly diluted fish/seaweed emulsion, and worm compost.   If you follow fertilizing tip from the video you posted on a young lychee tree you would probably kill it or severely give it leaf/root burn. 

[johnb51]

I vote Brewster. Tree is vigorous, easy to care for, but one thing to remember is the following:

-> DO NOT PLANT CLOSE TO HOUSE  {give 10-15 ft clearance}

Here's my 35 year old Brewster I planted next to the front thinking it would be a nice medium size tree, Wrong!
But it is very productive, about 30-50 lbs of fruits each season, and tastes good. I'm in Fullerton CA.

On the positive side, you can pick fruit from your roof!

[sc4001992]

That's the only way I pick them. Bad news is I have a broken L-knee (on crutch) so not as easy to get up on the 8ft ladder. Should be getting my surgery soon.