Lychee Season 2025

[BurkTheMangoLover]

Thanks I was just reading that and I prefer the nematode method for sure. I was also reading vinegar will instantly kill the larvae weevil but I’m not sure about dousing the dirt with that

If you use enough to kill all the larvae in the soil, I guessing that you stand a good chance of killing a lot of roots as well. Vinegar can also be used as an herbicide.

In some locations (particularly on ridge sites) there is a natural population of nematodes that keeps the weevil in balance. There is some damage, but not enough to be concerning. Off the ridge there are fewer nematodes and the weevil tends to get out of control more.

Thats interesting. I wonder what the nematode population is like in the bay area. Ive seen one or two trees that looks like they might have bee affected by LEM but then youll have several well established trees that are spotless. Fortunately doesnt seem to be too bad here.

[BurkTheMangoLover]

Brewster, Mauritius, Sweet Heart, Hak Ip (Florida Hak Ip), Sweet Song, Sweet Cliff, Bengal, and Emperor are all flowering. Some trees more than others.

Sweet Heart is an improved version of Florida Hak Ip. I say "Florida Hak Ip" because it is mislabeled here and has been for so long that there is no fixing it now. The real Hak Ip is quite different, with Ohia being the most similar variety sold here in Florida.

Inspite of all the other varieties, Brewster is still my favorite as far as taste is concerned. But, maybe that is partly sentimental. Kiamana would probably take second place followed closely by Bosworth 3.

I find it highly unlikely that the alcohol/peroxide concoction will be effective on the mite due to the wooly erinum that they hide in. However, if anyone tries it and it works, let me know. Even sulfur will not kill them in the erinum. You have to cut that out and burn it and then spray the tree for escapees.

Thats cool to hear. I didnt know there was a Florida Hak Ip now i would like to try both and see if i can spot the difference. I love the taste of brewster as well.

[Galatians522]

What we call Hak Ip in Florida is actually a strain of Fei Zi Xiao (Royal Concubine' Laugh) lychee. It is very similar to Sweet Heart (and you may notice a pun if you look closely enough). The real Hak Ip (black leaf) is very different having a smooth peel and almost never having chicken tongue seeds. Australia has their ID correct if you want a description. It is the parent of Kiamana. The closest thing we have in Florida to real Hak Ip is Ohia. I have been told that Ohia is Thai for "The Very Best." I am guessing that it is a seedling of Hak Ip from Thailand. It does not live up to its name when compared to some other high quality varieties. However, it might compare favorably to the Thai lowland types.

[Seanny]

@Galations522

What percentage of your Hak Ip have chicken tongues?

[Galatians522]

@Galations522

What percentage of your Hak Ip have chicken tongues?

Maybe 80% as a guess. The rest are dog tooth. It was higher before we had as many varieties for cross pollination. The main difference with Sweet Heart is flavor. At their peak they are both excellent, but Sweet Heart does not develop off flavors when it gets over ripe.

[BurkTheMangoLover]

@Galations522

What percentage of your Hak Ip have chicken tongues?

Maybe 80% as a guess. The rest are dog tooth. It was higher before we had as many varieties for cross pollination. The main difference with Sweet Heart is flavor. At their peak they are both excellent, but Sweet Heart does not develop off flavors when it gets over ripe.

Sweetheart is #1 for me. Exceptionally delicious. cant wait for mine to be ripe and ready

[yoski]

I pulled out my Sweetheart and Mauritius, big problems with LEM. Brewster and HakIp are a lot more resistant to that problem, also the production seems better. Really, after I got rid of Sweetheart and Mauritius, the LEM problem pretty much went away, they are LEM magnets, at least in my yard.

[dolomis]

Who ever recommended talak 7.9% thanks its working wonders for those pesky weevils and tons of other critters im sure as well.

[johnb51]

My neighborhood tree has set fruit.  I'm pretty sure it's Mauritius.  Also, next door to my son's house in WPB there's a tree that's loaded.  I haven't talked to the owner yet, so I don't know what it is.  But when the fruit is ripe, we'll be knocking on his door!  1/3 of the tree extends over the proper line.  I understand that by FL law the fruit still belongs to him.

[EddieF]

Would a mole vole or gopher eat weevils underground?

I have something tunneling right to my mango trees pretty much since sri lanka weevils appeared eating my mango trees last yr or 2.
I have poison bait & a kill trap but been holding off incase it's eating them damn bugs.

I know not directly lychee related but it's a good question lol.

[Galatians522]

Who ever recommended talak 7.9% thanks its working wonders for those pesky weevils and tons of other critters im sure as well.

👍

[Galatians522]

Would a mole vole or gopher eat weevils underground?

I have something tunneling right to my mango trees pretty much since sri lanka weevils appeared eating my mango trees last yr or 2.
I have poison bait & a kill trap but been holding off incase it's eating them damn bugs.

I know not directly lychee related but it's a good question lol.

My understanding is that moles do eat the wevils. So do armadillos and chickens. The only issue with moles is the air pockes from the tunnels.

[dolomis]

Galatians from my experience with the moles in the past, the air pockets aren’t bad;  I’ve removed a few plants last year to see the “under ground damage” to my surprise the roots were very healthy in the air pockets similar to a hydroponic system

[BurkTheMangoLover]

My neighborhood tree has set fruit.  I'm pretty sure it's Mauritius.  Also, next door to my son's house in WPB there's a tree that's loaded.  I haven't talked to the owner yet, so I don't know what it is.  But when the fruit is ripe, we'll be knocking on his door!  1/3 of the tree extends over the proper line.  I understand that by FL law the fruit still belongs to him.

If the fruit falls in your yard it is then yours.

[gnappi]

My sweetheart bloomed like fireworks and was SWARMED wirh bees but only a few took

[johnb51]

My neighborhood tree has set fruit.  I'm pretty sure it's Mauritius.  Also, next door to my son's house in WPB there's a tree that's loaded.  I haven't talked to the owner yet, so I don't know what it is.  But when the fruit is ripe, we'll be knocking on his door!  1/3 of the tree extends over the proper line.  I understand that by FL law the fruit still belongs to him.

If the fruit falls in your yard it is then yours.

I think that's the operative word.  If it "falls!"  Anyway, hopefully the guy is into sharing.

[Galatians522]

My sweetheart bloomed like fireworks and was SWARMED wirh bees but only a few took

That is normal. They seem to have a high percentage of male bloom.

[achetadomestica]

Bifenthrin is the only thing that kills the Sri Lankan Weevil. I tried the nemotode and it
didn't work for me. I did have less fire ants for a year. The weevils really like lychee leaves
The problem is after you kill the weevil than they have another cycle. If you spray the bifenthrin
for several months it would work except the weevil is on other trees including oaks. Even if you
wipe out the weevil in your yard then eventually the weevil will come back from your neighbor's
yard. The bifenthrin does knock them out for a couple months. I never spray if the tree is about
to flower. The Winter knocks them down also

[gnappi]

My sweetheart bloomed like fireworks and was SWARMED wirh bees but only a few took

That is normal. They seem to have a high percentage of male bloom.

Last year it bloomed in a similar manner and the tree gave me more lychee than I could eat. I had so many I sent 20 pounds to my GF's daughter in Connecticut. 

[hin00n]

Growing Sweetheart Lychee in Bay Area California. First full year, I believe 2nd or 3rd year airlayer. It was already blooming last year when I got it from the seller. I think Lychees might bloom more consistently up here, will see in future years.

[Galatians522]

My sweetheart bloomed like fireworks and was SWARMED wirh bees but only a few took

That is normal. They seem to have a high percentage of male bloom.

Last year it bloomed in a similar manner and the tree gave me more lychee than I could eat. I had so many I sent 20 pounds to my GF's daughter in Connecticut.

That sounds typical, too. I think the percentage of male bloom varies from year to year.

[Tropheus76]

My Sweetheart did nothing this year after having tons of blooms and a total of three fruit last year. Its about 11 years old. Looks fine, I dont see any issues apart from the lack of doing anything. My potted(until yesterday) Emperor has a few fruit on it. If they mature great, I am not holding my breath. Weirdly, my longon (which I am including here since its so closely related) had massive numbers of flowers and then suddenly lost all of its leaves and flowers in the space of the weekend.

[puglvr1]

I have a Mauritius Lychee tree so maybe that's why its my favorite Lol...but I also like Brewster whenever I can get it. Tasted Emperor not my fave but not bad especially if that is all that's available. Never tasted the others.

My tree this year produced a ton of flowers but the fruit set is quite low in comparison, lots of empty fruit stalks 

One year was a bad drought year and I didn't realize I had to hand water during bloom/fruit set since the tree was mature. Don't give my mango trees any supplemental water since they are all mature, thought it was the same with Lychee...so ALL fruitlets dropped on the ground when they were pea size. The following year I LOST 90% of them to birds, squirrels and raccoons so who knows if I will get any this year 

[Seanny]

Are any of you thinning lychee panicles or just me?
My Hak Ip bloom is wrapping up.

[Galatians522]

Are any of you thinning lychee panicles or just me?
My Hak Ip bloom is wrapping up.

Only Emperor.