Best Practices for Growing
Lychee Trees
By Bill Mee

There are two “rules of thumb” I have learned to follow after two decades of growing lychee trees.
- Provide good wind protection.
- Provide a growing environment consisting of organic mulch and organic compost.
These basic principles apply universally, whether you are a dooryard grower or a grove owner.
In the following discussion I will elaborate on both concepts.
Lychee trees grow in recurrent flushes of growth followed by periods of dormancy. Depending on the ambient temperature and availability of nutrients the dormancy phase of the growth/dormancy cycle can be shortened down to almost nothing, thereby resulting in an almost continuous growth phase.
Bill describes the two critical factors for successfully growing lychee trees in this video. He demonstrates this with a Brewster variety in Florida.
The new growth on a lychee tree consists of very delicate leaves which emerge (if the tree is healthy) as a wine red flush, becoming darker green as the growth hardens off.
1. How big will my Lychee Tree Grow?
2. Do I need more than one tree to get enough fruit?
3. Why doesn’t my tree produce fruit?
4. How long will it take to produce fruit once the tree is planted?
This video guides you through the basic steps in both selecting and preparing a branch of a lychee tree (Sweetheart variety) for air layering. It also shows the completion and finalization of the air layer. After 8 to 10 weeks the air layer will be ready to remove. The subsequent video will show you what to do when it is time to remove and plant this air layer.
Additional Links for Growing Lychee Trees
Additional Links for Growing Lychee Trees
Lychee and Tropical Fruit Groves: 10 Reasons for Investing in Florida Agricultural Property