Once upon a tree
Once upon a tree, many large yellow beige clusters of grapelike fruit hung low, pulling the tree branches down towards the ground. I contemplated them with much desire as they became golden. The tree almost seemed to groan with the weight. I would soon need to help it out of its misery and add to my epicurean delight. I could see on the lowest cluster, barely inches from the ground, critters had already come to dine out in fine style, leaving their leftovers of fruit shells and seeds, scattered on my lawn. This was not a fairy tale. The time was now! My Longan was rewarding me for my years of cultivating and watering at the correct time. I had enjoyed a smaller feast three years ago, but nothing like what was there before me now. I’m now taking them to potlucks, blessing friends and co-workers with bags full of Longans.
I had been told over 10 years ago, when I planted this young tree, that it needs fertilizing and watering at a special time of year in its life, and our rainy season did not accommodate it. It’s needs were specific.
It seemed that every other year I got a reasonable crop for one person, but I chalked all this up to forgetting to water in the dry season. I installed the purple connector for potty water, to be able to water this bed in my front yard, and I had been able to water well my two days a week, by hand. I really thought this was all my doing, this miracle. Then I realized, 50 feet away, my Valencia Pride Mango tree was also bearing remarkably. After much research, I realized that Longans have a history of bearing erratically, and after 10 years, it bears copiously. Nature is an amazing phenomenon. It set up a great fruiting year.
Longans are considered the “little brother of the Lychee.” Botanically, they are a separate genus.
Dimocarpus (Euphoria) longan are in the same Sapindaceae family as their close kin, lychee, rambutan, akee, Spanish lime, and soapberry. The Longans origin is disputed, but it is consumed throughout Asia and a major crop for Thailand. Found also in Mayanmar, Vietnam, Taiwan, India, Australia and some Central and South American countries, they are considered a continuation of the ripe lychee, fruiting soon afterwards. Lychees bear in June and July; Longans bear in July and August, and are more vigorous, cold hardy, and wind tolerant. They both have a translucent jelly-like fruit that needs to be peeled to eat. Their skins are non-edible. With distinctly different tastes, many people seem to prefer Lychees, but Longans have their lovers. High in potassium and vitamin C, they can be enjoyed fresh, canned, or dried, but only the Longan can be successfully frozen and re-eaten.
Called “dragon eyes” because of its resemblance to an eyeball when peeled, with their small black, round, and hard seed that looks like a miniature buckeye,an iris that stares back at you through its fleshy eyeball fruit. All this is contained in an easily peeled leathery skin. Be sure they are fully ripe before picking. They don’t ripen once off the tree. Pitted they can be poached and used with roasts, salads, salsas, ceviches, pies, drinks, and fruit cups. They are great stuffed.
Care in planting a Longan is essential. Start with a small 3-gallon size plant that is not root bound. Root bound plants never grow properly. Plant it in the rainy season, but in a well drained place. Full sun is needed and keep it in a place far from where a lawn mower and weed whacker are. They injure easily.
Remember, Longans can become large trees, but mostly stay around 30 to 40 feet high and wide in Florida. Their roots go beyond their drip line. Prune to contain their size and have reachable fruits.
Seedling trees may take 6 to 7 years to bear fruit, while air layered trees only take 2 to 3 years. Panicles of flowers on the tip growth are a mixture of male and female blooms. If we have 3 cool winter months, hey bloom well, but in a warm winter, blooms make a poor showing. New leaf growth comes in a showy wine color.
Plucked fruits last longer than a lychee because of the Longans thick skin, but they still have a short shelf life, so they need to be refrigerated or frozen. It was once popular as a dried fruit, because it was the best way to preserve them. The seeds contain saponin and are used like soapberry to shampoo hair.
The seeds and rinds were payment to the Chinese women taking care of the drying operation. They were used for fuel. A liqueur is made from longans and dried longans are an ingredient in herbal medicines.
Even in off years of fruit production, and lack of catering to specific fruiting needs, these trees are excellent specimen and shade trees. So they can live happily ever after in your landscape.
Incidentally, my spell check system did not allow for the wrong word I substituted in my column last week. My bumper sticker should have read, “I brake for butterflies.”
Joyce Comingore is a Master Gardener; Past President of the James E Hendry chapter of the American Hibiscus Society and a National Board member; member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.