Lychee Trees for Sale

Planting and Care

by Jo Cosgrove | Ecological Gardener, Horticulturist, and Educator – last update on December 10, 2021

Planting instructions

While mature lychee trees do well in full sun, young individuals may need to be acclimated to a sunny planting site — provide a partial shade covering if necessary. When you have found your planting site, dig a hole to the depth of the tree’s root ball and three times as wide. Place the tree in the hole, keeping it upright and level. Backfill with soil and water thoroughly, making sure to penetrate the deepest roots. Add more soil if settling occurs.

Watering and nutrients

Newly transplanted lychee trees require watering every two to three days. Once the trees become established, you may reduce your watering schedule to once per week. Unlike most trees, the lychee fruit tree can be watered regularly during the winter season as they do not have a dormant period. However, be sure to avoid water-logged roots to prevent root rot. After the first flush of fruit, you may fertilize your lychee tree with organic compost or all-purpose fertilizer.

Pollination

Lychee fruit trees are considered self-pollinating and can produce fruit with just one tree. However, planting a variety of lychee tree cultivars will increase your fruit production. When grown outdoors, lychee trees will produce fruit with the natural help of insects (primarily the honey bee) and birds. If grown indoors, the lychee fruit will need to be hand pollinated. Using a small paintbrush, swirl around the inside of each flower, one by one. This should be performed daily for maximum pollination.

Pruning

You may wish to prune to maintain the shape, size, and health of the tree. It is not recommended to prune branches or limbs that are larger than one inch, as this may inhibit fruit production. Regular pruning will increase the quantity and quality of fruits produced by the tree. Trimming the tree within two weeks of harvest can ensure an excellent subsequent crop as it gives the tree time to produce new foliage and bud sites for next year. Always remove dead, dying, and diseased portions of the tree as they appear.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Pepper spot and stem canker are two fungal diseases that show up on lychee trees. Pepper spot appears on the leaves and fruit in the form of fuzzy growth, while stem cankers form irregular growths on branches. Remove infected portions of the tree immediately to stop these pathogens from spreading. It’s important to note that infected waste material should never be added to a compost heap — throw it in the trash instead. Aphids and mites are common pests that will eat away at the foliage and fruits of your lychee trees. If you spot them, try applying neem oil or an insecticidal soap to eliminate them before they proliferate.

Harvesting

In order to produce a large amount of fruits for harvesting, you will need to expose the tree to colder temperatures for approximately 100 hours during the winter season. This promotes the tree’s natural bloom and fruit cycle. The lychee fruit does not continue to ripen once it has been harvested, which makes the harvest timing more important than other fruit-bearing trees. To harvest, simply pick a cluster that is ripe and cut it off with clean pruning shears. Ripe lychee fruit can remain at room temperature for approximately five days before they start to turn.

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