Giant Fiji Longan - Another White Whale or White Elephant?

[sytanta]

Looked at the fruits next to the coke, I think they are around 7-10cm in diameter which makes me wonder if they are somewhat related to Han Sen's Pacific Lychee as in the pics below:

[Mike T]

The tree is just like other Pometia pinnatas and yes most definately the same thing as Han Sen's pacific lychee although those pics show his ones are not solid flesh all the way through. The seeds are the same or smaller than regular fiji longans but the skin is thineer and pliable and there is a much greater abundance of flesh and proportional flesh yield, We know the natural range includes Fiji, New Britain and the north coast of New Guinea.
It begs questions on whether it may prove to be a separate subspecies, why this clearly glamorous fruit isn't in wider circulation.

Oscar 6 years in the realm of fruit hunting is a short time. I have spent over 25 years hunting for the lost crops (trees) of Kamerunga Tropical Fruit Research Station.

[arvind]

Looked at the fruits next to the coke, I think they are around 7-10cm in diameter which makes me wonder if they are somewhat related to Han Sen's Pacific Lychee as in the pics below:

This variant of Fijian longan always has worms in it.the soft rind makes it susceptible to fruit flies .the hard shelled variety doesn't have this problem.the fact that grafted and marcotted fijian longans doesn't seem to exist in Malaysia makes it unworthy to cultivate this variant in my opinion since it's almost impossible to bagged all the fruits on such a large tree

[cassowary]

arvind,
thanks for the info on fruit flies. I think if the tree is kept short a big bag could go over the whole big bunch if it have the same habit as p. pinnata. Could also deter fruit bats.

Also couldn't this one be crossed with the purple p. pinnata to make an even bigger purple sweet matoa/taun fruit?!

[Muni]

Thank you for sharing. Sometimes what we need to do in order to get something is to let it go and see what happens. If we actually need it, we'll get it. In perfect timing.

[arvind]

arvind,
thanks for the info on fruit flies. I think if the tree is kept short a big bag could go over the whole big bunch if it have the same habit as p. pinnata. Could also deter fruit bats.

Also couldn't this one be crossed with the purple p. pinnata to make an even bigger purple sweet matoa/taun fruit?!

Yes it can be crossed with purple one.not sure what colour or how the fruit will look like.seed grown plants here have different fruit colours from the parent trees.as keeping the tree compact well it's possible but this plant is fast grower and and needs frequent pruning.

[cassowary]

good info arvind, Have you seen any matoa growing wild with natural lateral branches similar to like a durian or do they not really grow those?

I know that if the tip is damaged or cut then it shoots out and creates multiple leaders but they are weak and split away from the trunk easy in the wind. And the ones I got hare don't grow laterals yet, maybe when they are very tall?

[Raulglezruiz]

good info arvind, Have you seen any matoa growing wild with natural lateral branches similar to like a durian or do they not really grow those?

I know that if the tip is damaged or cut then it shoots out and creates multiple leaders but they are weak and split away from the trunk easy in the wind. And the ones I got hare don't grow laterals yet, maybe when they are very tall?

I have been tip pruning both mines but they really don't want to send lateral shoots, just been lucky the firs time at two meters back to one meter did send two shoots but when I wanted to do the same with the two new shoots it only appeared one shoot in both of them

[Mike T]

There is a tree is Mossman with fruit of lesser quality but a tree near Gordonvale is much better and seed was brought to Cairns from Fiji.

[cassowary]

Is the one in Mossman on public land? And is the Gordonvale one the one at Sugarworld parking?
I reckon they can naturalize in AU.
I got a 4m tree flowering profusely, second time this year.
Have 8m ones with no flowers but maybe it's the spot and not genetic variance.