Overview

Experience the joy of growing your own exotic fruits with this beautiful longan tree live plant. Specifically, this offering is the highly sought-after Kohala variety, known for its consistent production of sweet, translucent fruit. Originating from Southeast Asia, the longan tree (Dimocarpus longan) is a magnificent evergreen tree that can reach considerable heights in tropical climates but can also be maintained as a smaller, manageable specimen in containers. This particular plant stands approximately 3-4 feet tall and comes air-layered, ensuring a healthy and vigorous start. The Kohala variety is prized for its early fruiting, large fruit size, and delicious flavor, making it a favorite among tropical fruit enthusiasts. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, adding a longan tree live plant to your collection is a rewarding endeavor that promises a taste of the tropics.

The longan, often called ‘dragon’s eye’ due to the white aril surrounding the dark seed, is related to the lychee. This kohala longan tree is a fantastic choice for those looking to cultivate a unique and productive fruit tree. Its lush foliage and eventual fruit production will be a delightful addition to any garden or patio.

Key Benefits

Cultivating a longan tree live plant offers numerous advantages, from its aesthetic appeal to its delicious yield. Here are some of the key benefits you can expect from your new Kohala longan:

• Delicious Tropical Fruit: Enjoy the sweet, juicy, and aromatic fruits directly from your own tree. The Kohala variety is particularly noted for its excellent flavor and quality, providing a refreshing treat.
• Ornamental Value: With its attractive evergreen foliage, the longan tree serves as a beautiful ornamental plant, adding a touch of tropical elegance to your landscape or patio.
• Exotic Appeal: Stand out with a unique fruit tree that isn’t commonly found in most home gardens, offering an interesting conversation starter and a rare culinary experience.
• Good for Container Growing: While it can grow large in the ground, this kohala longan tree can also be successfully grown in large containers, making it suitable for patios, balconies, or regions with cooler winters where it can be moved indoors.
• Relatively Low Maintenance: Once established, longan trees are fairly resilient and require moderate care, making them a good choice for busy gardeners.
• Air-Layered for Faster Fruiting: This tree is air-layered, a propagation method that encourages earlier fruiting compared to seed-grown trees, meaning you could enjoy your own longans sooner.
• Health Benefits: Longan fruit is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, contributing to a healthy diet and offering a nutritious snack directly from your garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your longan tree live plant requires attention to its specific needs to ensure healthy growth and bountiful harvests. Longan trees thrive in warm, subtropical to tropical climates and prefer a sunny location. They need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If growing in a container, ensure it’s placed in the sunniest spot available. In regions with cooler winters, consider bringing your potted tree indoors when temperatures drop below 30°F (-1°C).

When it comes to watering, consistent moisture is key, especially during flowering and fruiting periods. However, avoid waterlogging, as this can lead to root rot. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. A well-draining soil mix is crucial; a sandy loam with good organic matter content is ideal. For potted plants, use a high-quality potting mix designed for fruit trees. Fertilize your growing longan tree with a balanced slow-release fertilizer or a fruit tree specific formula, typically 3-4 times a year, adjusting frequency based on the plant’s growth and fruiting cycle. Young trees benefit from more frequent, lighter applications. Pruning is generally minimal, focused on shaping the tree and removing dead or diseased branches to encourage air circulation and light penetration. This also helps manage the size of your tropical fruit tree. Protect young trees from strong winds and frost. USDA hardiness zones for longan typically range from 9-11, though with proper protection, they can be grown in zone 8b.

Size & Details

This longan tree live plant is the popular Kohala variety, known for its robust growth and excellent fruit quality. It stands approximately 3-4 feet tall from the base of the pot and is shipped in its original 3-gallon nursery pot with soil. The air-layering propagation method ensures that this tree is already mature enough to begin fruit production earlier than seed-grown specimens, often within 1-3 years of planting. The tree has a moderate growth rate, and in ideal conditions, it can eventually reach heights of 20-40 feet if planted in the ground, but it can be maintained at a smaller, more manageable size through regular pruning. When grown in a container, its size will be naturally restricted, making it perfect for patios or indoor-outdoor living. Expect lush, evergreen foliage that provides year-round appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this longan tree get? A: If planted in the ground, a kohala longan tree can eventually reach heights of 20-40 feet. However, it can be kept much smaller, around 6-10 feet, with regular pruning, especially when grown in a large container.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: This longan tree live plant is shipped in a 3-gallon nursery pot, complete with soil. This size provides a good root system for transplanting into a larger container or directly into the ground.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Longan trees are tropical plants that thrive outdoors in USDA zones 9-11. In cooler climates, they can be grown outdoors during warm months and brought indoors as a container plant during winter to protect them from frost.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For optimal growth and fruiting, a tropical fruit tree like the longan needs full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Adequate light is crucial for fruit development.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Longan trees are considered moderately easy to care for once established. They require consistent watering, proper fertilization, and protection from frost in colder zones. Beginners with an interest in tropical fruits can certainly succeed with this plant.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your growing longan tree will arrive in its 3-gallon pot, with soil, carefully packaged to minimize stress during transit. It’s normal for plants to experience some minor leaf drop or stress after shipping, but they typically recover quickly with proper care.
• Q: How long until it fruits? A: Since this is an air-layered plant, it is more mature than a seedling. You can generally expect your Kohala longan tree to begin producing fruit within 1-3 years after planting, given proper care and ideal growing conditions.
• Q: What’s the best time to plant a longan tree? A: The best time to plant a longan tree live plant is in the spring or early summer, after all danger of frost has passed. This allows the tree ample time to establish its root system before cooler weather arrives.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Longan trees are sensitive to frost. If you live in USDA zones below 9, you will need to provide winter protection, such as bringing a potted tree indoors or using frost cloths for in-ground trees during cold spells.
• Q: What kind of soil does it prefer? A: Longan trees prefer well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.0). A sandy loam rich in organic matter is ideal. For potted plants, use a good quality potting mix with excellent drainage.