Chinese plum, or lychee, is a fruit that Russian people are just starting to get to know. It has a sour taste, gives vitality and energy, helps to increase the body's resistance to diseases. But not everyone knows what lychee is and how to grow it in a garden plot.
Lychee - what kind of plant is it, what does it look like
Lychee fruit tree is a perennial culture originating in South China. Gradually spread throughout the East, and then began to conquer the world. This is a representative of the Sapinda family, other names: liji, foxes. In Europe, the first fruits of lychee brought Pierre Sonner, a traveler in the countries of the East of the 18th century.
Lychee fruits - a novelty for the Russian Federation and the CIS countries
Note! Lychee is eaten fresh or canned, and desserts and traditional Chinese wine are also made from it. Residents of the East use fruits to make snacks and hot.
In the days of emperors in China, lychees were considered a delicacy delicacy. To deliver it to the table of the monarch, there was a special courier service. Now the fruits are grown not only in their homeland, but also in other countries with suitable climatic conditions: Brazil, USA, Australia, individual African states. Residents of Russia can also become the owners of their own exotic trees, but in most cities the only possible breeding method is at home.
Lychee - an authentic delicacy with an unusual taste
Short description and features of the fruit tree
Features of the lychee tree (litchi):
- This is an evergreen tree with a spreading crown. Height - 11-30 meters.
- The leaves are pinnate, dark green (gray from the inside).
- The flowers are yellow or pale green, without petals, only with cups.
- The fruits are covered with red skin, reach 2-4 cm in length, the surface consists of a large number of tubercles; inside - flesh, the consistency resembles jelly, with a characteristic wine tinge of taste. There is also an oval bone (not suitable for food), known in the East as the “Dragon Eye”.
Ripening of fruits in a tropical climate occurs in early June, in the middle lane - not earlier than the last days of August.
Fruit properties, benefits and harms
Lychee berries are low-calorie foods, so they can be included in any diet, even the most stringent. They are saturated with vitamins and minerals. The composition includes folic acid, which is necessary for the full functioning of the female reproductive system.
Note! Lychee is recommended to be included in your diet when planning pregnancy. However, if a woman has not tried exotic fruits, that bearing a fetus and a lactation period is not the best time for experiments, it is better to wait for the completion of breastfeeding.
The berries contain: potassium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, iodine, copper, calcium, as well as fiber and pectins. The main useful properties:
- Delicate cleansing of the body of toxins and feces, including old ones.
- Improving immunity.
- Beneficial effect on female sex hormones.
- Normalization of blood coagulation due to the content of rare vitamin K.
- Light diuretic effect.
- Getting rid of depression and fatigue.
- Normalization of sleep.
A beautiful tree is a source of valuable fruits that are used not only in cooking and winemaking, but also in folk medicine
Even such a useful plant as lychee can bring not only benefits, but also harm. It can not be consumed in excessive quantities, given to children under 3 years old. Lychee fruits are a rather strong allergen. With individual intolerance, its use should be discarded.
Contraindications include:
- renal failure;
- diabetes;
- pregnancy (there is a high risk of miscarriage).
Note! A hungry person should not eat lychee, it is better to eat a bowl of soup, and then - sour berries as a dessert.
Getting acquainted with the fruits of lychee, it becomes clear that these are juicy berries that are useful in moderation, but can cause harm if used incorrectly.
Varieties of varieties and hybrids of lychee
Many gardeners are interested in lychee: what is it? Southern exotic plants are interesting in that they have several varieties.
Green hanging
Differs in a soft green coloring of leaves. In addition to attractiveness, it has a practical advantage over other varieties - the fruits, even without the skin, retain their taste characteristics and aroma for a long time.
Sweet osmanthus
It is not for nothing that the lychee variety was named in honor of the evergreen representative of oilseeds, osmanthus. Lychee fruits have a characteristic aroma, as well as a delicate unusual taste. In addition, its flesh is enriched with sugar.
Green yatu
The skin of the fruit of this variety is red, but it is covered with greenish spots unusual for the lychee, hence the name.
Concubine smile
Variety with a long history and intriguing name. Fruiting early in the homeland, the Chinese begin to harvest in May.
Different varieties allow you to plant exactly the tree that the owner likes best
Growing Lychee Fruit Tree at Home
Lychee is an unpretentious plant, but one should not forget that its historical homeland is the south of China, and by no means the middle strip of Russia or the more northern regions. It is important to create suitable conditions for the tree, then it will certainly reward the gardener with a lush harvest of sour fruits with a “twist”.
Since it is almost impossible to create optimal climatic conditions on the street in open ground, it is customary to grow fruits at home. The plant feels great in a pot, does not grow to a huge height, the crown is neat.
Note! Some grow lychees in greenhouses, but this requires the organization of round-the-clock lighting, humidification and heating. Conventional polycarbonate summer cottages are not suitable for this purpose.
Germination Nuances
Chinese lychees can be grown on their own by purchasing a seedling in a professional nursery, or by growing from seed. For the second method, juicy but ripe fruits with a pleasant smell are selected. Traces of decay, cracks and other damage are not allowed. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Remove the bone from the pulp.
- Gauze folded in several layers, moisten in water, wrap a bone in it. Leave for a week, making sure that the fabric does not dry out.
- As soon as the first roots have appeared, you can put a stone in a pot, pre-filled with drainage and nutritious loose soil.
- Next, the plant is abundantly watered, covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect and the containers are removed in a dark place until the first shoots appear.
- As soon as the sprout appears on the surface, the pot is placed closer to the light source.
Note! Not every tree can grow a tree, so they recommend the simultaneous sowing of several pieces at once.
Lychee seeds are used for germination, but you can’t eat them - they are poisonous
Care Organization
Since the lychee came to us from the southern latitudes, he needs special care. During germination, the seed is placed at a pace, kept at a temperature of +25 ℃. After germination, the following conditions are necessary:
- daylight hours - 12 hours;
- it is important to protect victories from direct sunlight;
- temperature - not less than +20 ℃.
Necessary lighting and temperature
When considering how lychee grows, it is important to note that the southern plant needs special attention. Basic Rules:
- The thermometer column should not fall below +20 ℃, if you can’t save the mode, you will have to use additional devices.
- With a lack of natural light, artificial light is used. This is necessary for growing fruits.
Watering rates
For lychee provide moderate regular watering. The plant needs a normal level of humidity. Use water that has settled for at least 48 hours.
Note! Every day, morning and evening, the culture is sprayed from the spray gun. The best way to irrigate the soil is through a sump.
Organization of feeding
The first fertilizer application is carried out after the plant is 90 days old. Use mineral complex compounds.
Note! The second top dressing is done no earlier than a year after the first!
Starting from the second year, it is allowed to fertilize lychee on a monthly basis with the selected mineral composition (it is undesirable to use preparations of another brand, they do this only when there is a lack of a certain substance).
Favorable conditions should be created for early flowering; first of all, tropical guests will appreciate the light nutrient soil. After each watering, it is recommended to carefully loosen the soil in order to saturate the roots with oxygen.
Lychee can be grown at home.
Flowering features of the southern guest
At home, the correct compact form is important, therefore, during the first two years of life, a seedling is consistently formed. After that, maintain a neat appearance of the plant through sanitary pruning. How the lychee will look depends on the desire and hard work of the owner.
An exotic plant begins to bloom no earlier than the seventh year of life. But this is not the limit. Perhaps the long-awaited flowers and especially fruits will have to wait more than 10 years.
Varieties of flowers
A distinctive feature of the Chinese plant is tiny snow-white flowers collected in an inflorescence-brush. Sometimes the color of the petals can beat soft purple. Color will please the owner. The flowers subsequently wither, giving way to clusters of fruits. The last in each cluster from 3 to 14 pieces.
Features of fruiting
The time of receipt of the first fruit depends on the variety and can be from 4 to 10 years. An important role is played by the organization of care - the more carefully the gardener takes care of the home tree, the greater the chance that it will delight the fruits.
Lychee bloom is an amazing sight
Fruit tree propagation
Many are interested in breeding lychee: what kind of fruit is this, gardening fans already know? This is truly a storehouse of vitamins and minerals needed for good health. There are several ways to reproduce:
- by seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- vaccinated.
The most difficult to implement at home is considered the first. Firstly, it will take several years to get the fruits, the seedlings are characterized by a very slow development speed, they do not always receive the varietal characteristics of the parent plants.
The easiest way to propagate lychee at home is layering or cuttings. To do this, the material is taken from a strong healthy tree with an age of at least 3-5 years. You can buy seedlings in specialized nurseries, which will help to get a tree with the desired yield characteristics and suitable to the climatic conditions of a particular region.
Vaccination as a method of reproduction requires experience. The advantage of this method is to obtain a strong root system.
Plant maintenance problems, diseases and pests
Despite the exotic nature of its origin, lychee is a plant resistant to diseases of fruit crops. The cause of growth or bearing problems is poor care. With abuse of watering, root rot can develop, which can lead to the death of the plant.
Note! With a lack of liquid, the shrub or tree will be sluggish, the leaves will dry out and begin to fall, it is difficult to save it. It’s better not to bring this up.
The main pests include:
- spider mites;
- mealybugs;
- scale shield;
- aphid;
- whitefly.
It is important to monitor the condition of the plant, if a pest is detected, treatment should begin. They use folk methods (dusting with tobacco dust or ash, watering with tincture of garlic or tomato tops), as well as insecticides. The second is worth contacting if the problem is running or has become widespread.
The benefits of lychee fruits, their unusual taste, the ability to make a delicious dessert or original wine from the pulp - these are the reasons why many try to grow a Chinese plant at home. With a responsible approach, every gardener has a chance of success.
