Chinese Longan
Dimocarpus longan
Double grafted seedling (2 rootstocks, 1 top)
This tree is unique at Lennox Community Gardens in that it has two different rootstocks (if you look at the base closely) feeding the one top. This is somewhat experimental, the hope is that with the two rootstocks feeding the one tree it will reach fruit-bearing maturity sooner than a single seedling tree.
The fruit can be eaten fresh (squeeze the pulp out), or used in soups, desserts and sweet-and-sour foods, either fresh or dried; with ginger and a little brown sugar makes a nice warm beverage in winter. Don’t pick under-ripe fruit as it will not ripen after picking.
High in iron & vitamin C, used by the Chinese as a blood tonic, to build energy, tonify the heart’s Qi and add skin lustre. Native to tropical Asia and China.
Tree maintenance
Dimocarpus longan
Double grafted seedling (2 rootstocks, 1 top)
This tree is unique at Lennox Community Gardens in that it has two different rootstocks (if you look at the base closely) feeding the one top. This is somewhat experimental, the hope is that with the two rootstocks feeding the one tree it will reach fruit-bearing maturity sooner than a single seedling tree.
The fruit can be eaten fresh (squeeze the pulp out), or used in soups, desserts and sweet-and-sour foods, either fresh or dried; with ginger and a little brown sugar makes a nice warm beverage in winter. Don’t pick under-ripe fruit as it will not ripen after picking.
High in iron & vitamin C, used by the Chinese as a blood tonic, to build energy, tonify the heart’s Qi and add skin lustre. Native to tropical Asia and China.
Tree maintenance
- After planting, remove branches with narrow crotch angles; select 3-4 main scaffold branches to contain height and facilitate light penetration throughout the canopy - they should be maintained at 3-4m high for ease of harvesting.
- An important operation is the pruning of multi flower-bearing twigs; 3/4 of the flower spikes in the cluster being removed.
- Later, the fruit clusters are also thinned, in order to increase the size and quality of the fruits.
- Finally, after fruiting is finished, the ends of the branches that produced the fruit should be cut back at least 45cm, unless the tree is very small.
- NPK with trace elements should be given in 3-4 applications during the warmer months, with amounts increasing depending on tree size.
- Mulching is beneficial.