Litchi / Lychee (Air Layered)

About Litchi / Lychee (Air Layered)

Litchi (Lychee) is a subtropical evergreen fruit tree native to China, grown for its sweet, fragrant, translucent fruit under a rough pink-red rind. India is one of the world's largest litchi producers. This air-layered plant grows true to the parent and fruits sooner than a seedling.

Growing Conditions

• Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hours daily)
• Soil: Deep, well-drained loamy soil, slightly acidic, pH 5.5-6.5, rich in organic matter
• Climate: Subtropical; needs a cool winter chilling period to flower well, followed by a warm, humid growing season - grows best where winters are mild but distinctly cool

Planting & Spacing

Best grown in the ground with 25-30 ft spacing for a full-sized tree, or in a large pot (20+ inch) while young. Best planting season in India is monsoon (June-August).

Care

• Watering: Regular watering, especially during flowering and fruit development; avoid letting the soil dry out completely, but do not waterlog.
• Fertilizer: Organic compost plus balanced NPK 2-3 times a year, with extra potash before flowering.
• Pruning: Light pruning after harvest to remove dead wood and maintain shape.

Fruiting & Harvest

An air-layered litchi plant typically starts fruiting in 3-4 years, sooner than a seed-grown tree, Flowers in early spring; fruit ripens in late spring to early summer (April-June in India).

Note: This listing ships a young nursery plant (grafted/air-layered as stated), not a fruiting tree. Time to first fruit and yield vary by climate, care, and region - we don't promise a fixed timeline. Ripe litchi flesh is safe and delicious; avoid unripe fruit and seeds, which contain compounds linked to hypoglycemia if consumed on an empty stomach in quantity - a well-documented seasonal caution in litchi-growing regions.