Overview

Introduce a taste of the tropics to your home with our premium grafted red lychee tree. This live fruit tree, scientifically known as Litchi chinensis, is specifically selected for its early and reliable fruiting capabilities. Grafting ensures that the fruit produced will be true to the beloved red lychee variety, known for its sweet, juicy flesh and vibrant color. Standing approximately 4 ft tall and rooted in a robust 3-gallon pot, this healthy young tree is well-established and poised for rapid growth under optimal conditions. Whether you’re an experienced horticulturist or a budding enthusiast, growing your own grafted red lychee tree offers a rewarding experience and an abundance of exotic fruit.

Our grafted red lychee tree is an excellent choice for those seeking to cultivate tropical fruits. It’s ideal for both home gardens in suitable climates and for container growing, allowing you to enjoy fresh lychees even in less tropical regions by moving it indoors during colder months. The vibrant green foliage adds an ornamental touch to any space, making it a beautiful and productive addition to your plant collection.

Key Benefits

Growing a grafted red lychee tree offers numerous advantages, from the joy of fresh fruit to enhancing your garden’s aesthetic and biodiversity. These trees are not just productive but also contribute to a healthy ecosystem around your home.

• Abundant Sweet Fruit: Enjoy a consistent harvest of delicious, sweet, and juicy red lychee fruit, perfect for eating fresh, in desserts, or beverages. Grafting ensures superior fruit quality and flavor compared to seed-grown plants.
• Early Fruiting Potential: Thanks to grafting, this tree is designed to produce fruit much sooner than trees grown from seed, often within 3-4 years with proper care, providing quicker gratification for your gardening efforts.
• Container Growing Friendly: Its manageable size and growth habit make it suitable for growing in large containers, offering flexibility for those with limited garden space or living in cooler climates where it can be brought indoors during winter.
• Ornamental Appeal: Beyond its fruit, the grafted red lychee tree boasts attractive, glossy green foliage, making it a beautiful specimen plant that enhances the visual appeal of your garden or patio.
• Health Benefits: Lychees are rich in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds, offering a healthy and refreshing addition to your diet straight from your own backyard.
• True-to-Type Production: Grafting guarantees that the fruit will be the desired red lychee variety, avoiding the genetic variability and potential disappointment of seed-grown trees.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your grafted red lychee tree requires attention to its specific needs to ensure robust growth and prolific fruiting. Lychees thrive in tropical to subtropical environments, so replicating these conditions as closely as possible is key. Ensure your tree receives full sun exposure, meaning 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily. In extremely hot climates, some afternoon shade can be beneficial to prevent leaf scorch. Regular watering is crucial; the soil should be kept consistently moist but never waterlogged, as good drainage is essential to prevent root rot. Monitor the soil moisture regularly, especially during dry spells or if growing in a container.

A rich, slightly acidic soil is ideal for a grafted red lychee tree. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter to improve drainage and sandy soils to enhance water retention. A pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is generally preferred. Fertilize regularly during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants, following the product’s instructions. Protect your tree from frost, as young lychee plants are particularly sensitive to cold temperatures. If you live in a region with occasional frosts, consider planting in a sheltered location or be prepared to cover the tree. Understanding how to grow lychee tree successfully involves consistent attention to these environmental factors and nutritional needs.

Pruning is important for shaping the tree, encouraging new growth, and facilitating fruit production and harvest. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches. For container-grown plants, root pruning might be necessary every few years to maintain a manageable size. Pests and diseases are generally minimal for grafted red lychee tree, but keep an eye out for common issues like aphids or scale insects and treat them promptly with appropriate organic or chemical controls. With diligent care, your tree will reward you with an abundance of delicious sweet lychee fruit.

Size & Details

This offering is for one healthy grafted red lychee tree, a live plant cultivated for optimal growth and fruit production. The tree comes approximately 4 ft tall, measured from the base of the pot to the top of the foliage, and is securely established in a 3-gallon nursery pot. This size indicates a well-developed root system and a plant ready to be transplanted into its permanent home, whether in the ground or a larger container. Grafted red lychee tree specimens of this size are typically 1-2 years old from the graft and have a good head start towards fruiting.

With proper care, these grafted trees can begin to produce their first harvest of sweet lychee fruit within 3–4 years. The exact growth rate and fruiting timeline will depend on climatic conditions, soil fertility, and the level of care provided. Mature lychee trees can reach heights of 20-40 feet in ideal conditions, but container growing can help manage their size for smaller spaces. This tropical fruit tree will be shipped carefully to ensure its safe arrival, ready for planting.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this grafted red lychee tree get? A: This live plant is approximately 4 ft tall when shipped in its 3-gallon pot. In ideal outdoor conditions, mature lychee trees can reach 20-40 feet, but they can be kept smaller with pruning or by growing in containers.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The grafted red lychee tree is a tropical plant best grown outdoors in USDA Zones 9-11. In cooler climates, it can be grown in a container and brought indoors during cold weather to protect it from frost.
• Q: How much sunlight does a lychee plant need? A: Lychee trees require full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day, for optimal growth and fruit production.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: While tropical fruit trees require specific conditions, with consistent attention to sunlight, watering, and soil, a grafted red lychee tree can be managed by intermediate gardeners. Understanding lychee plant care is key.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your lychee tree will arrive as a healthy, live plant, carefully packaged in its 3-gallon nursery pot with soil to ensure minimal stress during transit.
• Q: How long until it produces sweet lychee fruit? A: As a grafted tree, you can expect fruit production to begin within 3-4 years with proper care and suitable growing conditions.
• Q: What’s the best way to ensure a good harvest of sweet lychee fruit? A: Provide consistent full sun, regular watering without waterlogging, rich and slightly acidic soil, and protect the tree from frost. Proper fertilization also plays a crucial role in encouraging a bountiful harvest.
• Q: Can I grow this tropical fruit tree in a large pot on my patio? A: Yes, this grafted red lychee tree is well-suited for container growing on a patio, especially if you plan to move it indoors during winter months. Ensure the pot is large enough to accommodate its root system and has excellent drainage.
• Q: What type of soil does a lychee tree prefer? A: Lychee trees thrive in rich, slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6.5), well-draining soil. Amending with organic matter can improve soil structure and fertility.
• Q: How do I protect my lychee tree from frost? A: In areas with occasional frost, cover the tree with a frost cloth or blanket when temperatures are expected to drop. For container plants, move them indoors to a protected area.