LONGAN
Dimocarpus longana
family: Sapindaceae
Longan is a symmetrical, evergreen tree, native to India and SE Asia.
While it can grow as tall as 100'+ in its native environment, maximum heights in FL have been found to be about 30-40' tall.
The crown tends to be round or oblong in shape, and the bark is corkie.
DAMAGE TEMPERATURES: 24-28 F
but protect a young new planting from freezing temps!
video of longan being peeled and eaten (courtesy of Wikipedia)
By rosatrieu (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons
The Longan is a very close relative to the Lychee and the Rambutan.
Longan fruit on the tree
Longan fruit peeled
And even though the longan is tolerant of dry soil conditions, regular irrigation from flowering stage to harvest will give the best quality fruit and the highest yields.
That said, withholding or reducing watering during late summer and early fall tends to reduce excessive growth and promote spring flowers.
CULTIVARS:
Kohala is the most commonly grown commercial type because its precise harvest season is more economically efficient.
However, Biew Kieuw is often preferred by home orchardists because it is sweeter, has smaller seeds, and a longer fruiting season.
BLOOMS:
Heaviest bloom time is Feb/Mar to April in South Florida, though Longan sometimes blooms off season in late August as well.
Fruit matures in 140-190 days (4.5-6 months) after blooming. Late July to September is peak harvest time.
FRUIT:
Longan produces a small, brown sweet fruit, typically the size of a quarter, that tastes something like a nutty grape.
The brown, leathery exterior shell is not eaten, but contains what looks like a peeled grape with a single seed inside. The sweet pulp is whitish and translucent and does not adhere to the seeds.
7g Longan w/ fresh new growth
3G seedling trees generally take 6yrs to fruit, whereas a 3G air-layered tree will fruit in 2-3 yrs.
A 7G air-layered tree should be bearing age.
6' tall / 5.5' wide / 30g Longan
Longan Organic Farms is located in Thailand -- and since I don't speak Thai, I have no idea what they are
describing in this video, but the pictures of an entire grove of mature, fruiting Longan trees is beyond gorgeous!
(And the Star Fruit at the very end are impressive too!)