Longan Biew Kiew

[voyager]

Getting antsy waiting for our Longan tree to have it's first fruiting, 2 years ago I sprayed the tree with potassium chloride  chlorate.
It did bloom quite nicely and bear fruit that year.

I did not treat it the following season, last year.
It didn't show any signs of blooming.

I have not treated it this year, but, only 1 low branch has put out a couple of groups of blossoms and looks as if it will end up fruiting there.
No sign of blossoms anywhere else on the tree.
It has probably been as long as 5 or 6 years since it's seedling from a nursery was planted.
The tree is now about 12' tall + about 15' in diameter, haven't pruned it yet.

We did have an eruption about 2 years ago that evolved sulphur gasses that seems to have adversely affected much of the vegetation in our yard.
They  now seem to be recovered from it.

Is this normal for a Longan, or is it running late? 
 

[voyager]

I finally got this one figured out.
The Longan will probably never bloom for me here, without being stimulated by spraying it with potassium chloride late in December.
That will cause it to bare fruit that will ripen the following August or September, as it did when I sprayed it two years ago.

Our year around temperatures here are too warm.
Longans require a 3 month winter with night temps getting down in the 7 - 12°C [45 -55°F] range with  no freezing temps.

Normally, our coolest winter night temps only reach to about 63°F.
Last winter we had one of our coldest winters.
For about a week, our night temps went down to about 56°F, not quite cool or long enough for it.
But, it was enough to stimulate one branch to bloom.
I will only get a small taste of it this year.

Next year after I begin regularly spraying the tree again, I'll get Longan fruit in droves like I did 2 years ago.
I did learn in that one fruiting:
1. They hold well on the tree once ripened.
2. While the fruit is still at its peak, they can be frozen while still in their skin.
3. When thawed enough to soften just their skin, they peel maybe easier than when they were fresh off the tree.
4. Freezing has little to no effect on the texture or taste of the fruit when thawed.
5. Birds love the small newly forming fruit, and will eat enough of it to substantially reduce the harvest for me.
6. The tree will need to be netted.
Next season, My waiting for the fruit to eat will be over.
I will be able to pig out on them 'til they're gone.
 

[achetadomestica]

My biew kiew is loaded with small fruit and flowers this year.
In fact all 6 of my longan trees are flowering and setting small fruit
now. Along with the cool period more important is a dry period for
around 3 months? We are not as cool as you stated consistently for
3 months. We may be cool but then we jump back into the 80s.
Now I have to get my lychees going. One other thing you may consider
I know a guy who has 10+ lychee trees and last year he tried to airlayer
them and they all flowered. This year he didn't airlayer and not one tree
had flowers. Maybe there are different ways to stress a tree? Maybe I
will try the potassium chloride on a lychee tree next year how much did you
use and how strong?

[bsbullie]

The OP states his tree is a seedling.  That, in itself, is an issue that it could take many years until it freely fruits on its own

I would reach out to Oscar (Fruitlovers on the forum) to see what issues it will have fruiting in that location of Hawaii.

[voyager]

First, I wrote potassium chloride.
I meant Potassium chlorate.
Not sure if both will do the job.

Not absolutely sure now, but I think I used 4g in 1/2 gallon of water.
Then sprayed the leaves of the tree with it.
The tree must be dormant when sprayed, no growth happening or recently.
It took about 1-2 months before the flowering began in February.
Don't know if it'll work on related species.
I've seen nothing to make me believe it will.
But then, I haven't been interested in finding out.

https://hilo.hawaii.edu/panr/get_attachment.php?file=5StimulatingLonganFlowering-Nagao23-28.pdf


Our climate here is too wet and warm for it to be perfectly at home.
We do get dry periods of a week or more, but rarely get true drought periods of a month or more.
The timing varies throughout the year.

I did call, it a seedling.
Chances are it was actually air layered.
The tree has  already proven it is mature enough to bloom.

[bsbullie]

It fruited by chemically forcing.  One branch flowered on its own and nothing more.  That in itself does not mean its "mature" if it is truly a seedling. 

When you post dor help and people give advice, maybe its best to at least look into what is said.  Otherwise, you will probably not get much assistance in the future.

Personally, I couldnt give a rats ass if you listen or play the role of the expert.  Your trees, not mine....

[Central Floridave]

Thanks for your observations. I have the Biew Kiew for about 15 years. Is a shy bearer for me and I get those low temps.  Kohala, diamond river fruit yearly for me. Maybe it’s just that variety?  A typical shy bearer. At least in my observations. 

[voyager]

... Personally, I couldnt give a rats ass if you listen or play the role of the expert.  Your trees, not mine....

@B.S. bullie,
I agree.

[voyager]

OK, a few days ago I saw more flowers beginning.
They were on another branch, but coming from the same part of the tree.
Today, I see another branch in a completely different part of the tree has begun to produce blossoms.
I'm beginning to wonder if the tree wants to bloom and fruit in its own way this time, not on a schedule set by me.

When I treated it with potassium chlorate all the branches bloomed at once.
Then, the fruit all ripened at the same time.
I was able to pick the tree clean in a very short time, a couple to three hours.
Now, it look to be making flowers if and when it wants to.
It has many dormant undifferentiated branch tips yet to develop.
I don't think the tree is going to develop all at once like it did last time.
Flowering and fruiting may be spread over a larger time span.
If that's what happens, I may treat it again next year and so on so that the fruit all ripens at once, at the same time.
Picking, handling, and storage will be much easier and less time consuming.

Its interesting.
I'll see how it goes.

I've got some netting for the tree and I saw a Red Cardinal in the yard yesterday.
He's my primary suspect for eating the small fruit before.
I'll be ready for him.

[CarolinaZone]

Thanks for your observations. I have the Biew Kiew for about 15 years. Is a shy bearer for me and I get those low temps.  Kohala, diamond river fruit yearly for me. Maybe it’s just that variety?  A typical shy bearer. At least in my observations.

Did you mean Kohala and diamond river? I have never heard of Diamond river. I am in Florida frequently. Do you know where I can buy a Diamond river?