Description: MAURITIUS IS A CULTIVAR THAT WAS NAMED AFTER THE AFRICAN ISLAND OF MAURITIUS. THIS IS AN EARLY SEASON LYCHEE THAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MORE RELIABLE FRUIT PRODUCING LYCHEE VARIETIES MAKING IT THE NUMBER ONE COMMERCIALLY CULTIVATED LYCHEE GROWN IN FLORIDA. THE SKIN OF THE FRUIT IS PINK TO RED WHEN RIPE AND IS SOMETIMES PICKED SLIGHTLY GREEN BY THOSE WHO ENJOY THE TARTNESS. MAURITIUS HAS EARNED THE REPUTATION OF BEING ONE OF THE BEST LYCHEE CULTIVARS FOR ITS OVERALL PROFILE. THE FRUIT HAS GOOD FRUIT TO STONE RATIO, MEANING YOU GET A GENEROUS PORTION OF FLESH/PULP IN EACH FRUIT. THE FLAVOR IS EXCELLENT BECAUSE OF SWEETNESS THAT IS WELL BALANCED WITH SOME TARTNESS UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER VARIETIES THAT ARE SWEET TO THE POINT OF BEING OVERPOWERING. THE FRUIT ALSO HAS AN EXOTIC AROMA AND IS VERY JUICY. MAURITIUS IS A MEDIUM TO LARGE SIZE TREE WITH A VERY VIGOROUS AND SPREADING GROWTH HABIT THAT IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A DENSE, WELL-ROUNDED CANOPY THAT SHOULD BE PRUNED ANNUALLY TO MAINTAIN A HEIGHT BETWEEN 15 TO 25 FEET FOR EASE OF HARVESTING. AS AN EARLY SEASON LYCHEE, MAURITIUS IS ONE OF THE FIRST LYCHEE VARIETIES TO RIPEN. THEY ARE USUALLY HARVESTED FROM MID-MAY TO LATE JUNE. ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT A GRAFTED SEEDLING, THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU MAY OBTAIN THE ORIGINAL GENES FROM THE PARENT TREE DEPENDING ON THE CROSS POLLINATION THAT PRODUCED THE FRUIT THAT CREATED THIS SEEDLING. GROWING SEEDLINGS THAT ARE NOT GRAFTED HAVE THE BENEFIT OF 1) HAVING A MUCH STRONGER, VIGOROUSLY GROWING TREE THAT WILL BE MORE RESILIENT TO BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. 2) THE POSSIBILITY OF OBTAINING A NEW VARIETY THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS IS ALSO ANOTHER INTERESTING BENEFIT OF A NON-GRAFTED SEEDLING. TYPICALLY, NEW CULTIVARS ARE SOMETIMES CREATED BY HAND POLLINATION OF 2 DIFFERENT VARIETIES IN AN EFFORT TO OBTAIN THE BEST CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PARENT TREE AND THE POLLINATOR. NATURE OFTEN DOES THIS FOR US NATURALLY THROUGH INSECT POLLINATION AS OPPOSED TO HAND POLLINATION. PLEASE NOTE THAT I PREFER NOT TO SHIP TO HAWAII, PUERTO RICO, OR INTERNATIONALLY DUE TO THE RISK OF YOUR SEEDLING NOT SURVIVING THE JOURNEY. IF YOU WISH TO COVER THE COST OF EXPEDITED SHIPPING YOU CAN MESSAGE ME AND WE CAN DISCUSS THOSE OPTIONS BUT I CAN NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR LOSSES DUE TO USPS OR OTHER SHIPPING CARRIER SERVICES THAT DO NOT DELIVER ON TIME RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF YOUR PLANT. THAT SITUATION IS NOT FAIR TO YOU THE BUYER AND IT IS NOT FAIR TO ME AS A SELLER WHO WANTS MY BUYERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR PLANTS/TREES. I make every effort to ship plants as soon as payment is received. I do not provide hot packs so be mindful of cold temperatures in your area. This evergreen perennial tolerates mild temperatures when it is young preferably no lower than 45 F. For this reason you may need to be present when the post man delivers your package or have someone collect it from your mail box and bring it indoors to warmer temperatures before it gets damaged. I ship all of my plants via USPS FIRST CLASS 2 to 3 day delivery with tracking that is available upon request but unfortunately, sometimes the postal service does not deliver on time and packages do sometimes get lost. Please try to understand, this is something that is out of my control. If your plant arrives damaged beyond saving, please message me immediately with pictures of your plant still secured to the box that it arrived in so that I may correct the problem as soon as possible. There is no need to leave negative feedback as I always try to answer questions or concerns on a very timely basis, sometimes within minutes of being messaged. Your satisfaction is my greatest concern and I will do everything possible to make things right. GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY GARDENING :) IF YOUR PLANT ARRIVES DAMAGED BEYOND VIABILITY THEN CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY WITH PICTURES OF BOTH THE BOX AND THE DAMAGED PLANT STILL SECURED IN THE BOX SO THAT I CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DO MY BEST TO KEEP ALL MY CUSTOMERS HAPPY SO PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK BEFORE ALLOWING ME A CHANCE TO MAKE THE SITUATION RIGHT. HOWEVER, I CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE DUE TO FAILURE TO WATER YOUR PLANT, LEAVING IT IN EXCESSIVELY HIGH HEAT/SUNLIGHT OR LOW/FREEZING TEMPERATURES. LYCHEE IS A SELF POLLINATING, EVERGREEN, FLOWERING AND FRUITING TROPICAL/SUB-TROPICAL TREE THAT IS NATIVE TO SOUTHERN CHINA AND TYPICALLY NEEDS A WARM CLIMATE TO THRIVE. OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD WHERE LYCHEE CAN BE FOUND INCLUDES THAILAND, TAIWAN, INDIA, MADAGASCAR AND SOUTH AFRICA. IN THE UNITED STATES, LYCHEE DOES BEST IN ZONES 9-11. AREAS IN THE US THAT LYCHEES CAN THRIVE INCLUDE FLORIDA, HAWAII, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN TEXAS. DESPITE BEING A TROPICAL/SUBTROPICAL FRUITING TREE, INCREASED FRUIT PRODUCTION DOES REQUIRE 100 TO 200 HRS OF CHILLING TIME BETWEEN 40 AND 68F. ALTHOUGH A TROPICAL/SUBTROPICAL, LYCHEE HAS BEEN GROWN BY SOME ENTHUSIASTS IN COLDER AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT THIS CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED IF CONTAINER GROWN, WITH FROST PROTECTION, OR WITHIN AN ATRIUM OR GREENHOUSE. BECAUSE THIS IS A TROPICAL/SUBTROPICAL FRUITING TREE, IT IS UNABLE TO WITHSTAND COLDER TEMPERATURES BELOW 30F FOR LONGER THAN 8 HRS WITHOUT SUFFERING SHOCK THEREFORE, A HARD FREEZE IN COLDER CLIMATES CANNOT BE TOLERATED WITHOUT FROST PROTECTION. LYCHEE IS TYPICALLY PRUNED DURING GROWTH TO MAINTAIN TREES THAT ARE 15 TO 20 FEET TALL IN ORDER TO FACILITATE HARVESTING. TREES THAT ARE LEFT UNPRUNED HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GROW UP TO 100 FEET TALL. THE FRUIT ITSELF IS A CLASSIFIED AS A DRUPE THAT GROWS IN CLUSTERS AND CAN RANGE IN SIZE DEPENDING ON THE VARIETY. THE FRUIT CAN BE EITHER ROUNDED OR OVAL SHAPED. THE OUTER SKIN IS BUMPY, SHELL LIKE, WITH A GREEN, PINK OR RED COLORATION DEPENDING ON VARIETY AND DEGREE OF RIPENESS. THE FRUIT ITSELF IS JUICY, SWEET, WITH A WHITE OPAQUE TO TRANSPARENT PULP THAT SURROUNDS A DARK BLACK SEED THAT ALSO RANGES IN SIZE DEPENDING ON VARIETY. LYCHEE TREES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY GROWN FROM SEEDS BUT BECAUSE SEEDS HAVE A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF VIABILITY FOR SUCCESSFUL GERMINATION, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT SEED GROWN TREES CAN BE GENETICALLY VARIABLE FROM THE PARENT TREE, DIFFERENT VEGETATIVE METHODS OF PROPAGATION HAVE BEEN USED TO REPRODUCE KNOWN CULTIVARS. LYCHEE IS TYPICALLY PROPAGATED BY AIR LAYERING. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF GROWING FRUITING TREES FROM SEED IS THE ROBUST NATURE OF SEED GROWN TREES WHICH TYPICALLY ARE STRONGER, GROW LARGER AND WILL GROW FASTER THAN GRAFTED VARIETIES. THE POTENTIAL TO ALSO HAVE A NEW VARIETY OF FRUIT THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN OR TASTED BEFORE ALSO ADDS TO THE INTEREST OF GROWING A TREE FROM SEED. LYCHEE CAN BE STARTED IN A 1-3 GALLON CONTAINER AND KEPT IN A PART SHADED LOCATION WHERE INTENSE SUNLIGHT AND WINDY CONDITIONS ARE MINIMAL WHILE YOUR SEEDLING IS STILL YOUNG. YOUNG SEEDLINGS ARE NOT TOLERANT OF HEAVY WINDS OR INTENSE SUNLIGHT WHICH CAN CAUSE LEAVES TO BE LOST OR BURNED SO BE WARY OF THE LOCATION WHERE YOU CHOOSE TO POSITION YOUR CONTAINER GROWN TREE. IF YOU ARE IN A COLDER CLIMATE, THEN YOU WILL NEED TO GREEN HOUSE OR BRING YOUR TREE INDOORS BY A VERY SUNNY WINDOW UNTIL THE WEATHER WARMS UP IN THE SPRING. PROVIDED YOU LIVE IN A WARMER PART OF THE US, ONCE YOUR TREE IS MORE MATURE (3 TO 5 FT TALL) IT CAN THEN BE TRANSPLANTED INTO THE GARDEN SOMEWHERE IT WILL RECEIVE FULL SUN FOR AT LEAST 6 TO 8 HRS PER DAY. CULTIVATION: SOIL: LYCHEE CAN TOLERATE A WIDE RANGE OF SOIL TYPES BUT DOES PREFER A DEEP, FERTILE WELL DRAINING LOAMY SOIL THAT IS RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER AND A LITTLE MORE DENSE IN CLAY WITH A PH THAT RANGES FROM 5.0 TO 7.0. EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF DENSE CLAY IN YOUR SOIL CAN STUNT ROOT PRODUCTION. THIS TYPE OF SOIL SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY ADDING COMPOST TO THIN THE SOIL OR A FERTILIZER FREE LIGHT POTTING SOIL. LYCHEE CAN ACTUALLY TOLERATE MORE ALKALINE SOIL WHICH IT OFTEN DOES IN FLORIDA WHERE SOIL IS MOSTLY LIMESTONE AND VERY ALKALINE. WATERING: LYCHEE TREES ARE MODERATELY DROUGHT TOLERANT BUT YOUNG TREES MUST BE IRRIGATED REGULARLY UNTIL WELL ESTABLISHED. ONCE TREES BECOME MORE MATURE THEY WILL GENERALLY THRIVE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL IRRIGATION WHEN GROWN IN THE HOME LANDSCAPE SETTING. IF GROWN IN SOILS WITH TOO MUCH SALT SUCH AS IN THE SOUTHWEST, THEY WILL PERFORM BEST IF REGULAR WATERING IS PROVIDED TO PREVENT SALT ACCUMULATION. FOR BEST RESULTS, WATER YOUR NEWLY PLANTED SEEDLING AT LEAST 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEKS UNTIL YOUR TREE IS AT LEAST 3 OR MORE FEET TALL ESPECIALLY IF YOUR LOCALE IS MORE HOT AND DRY. DO NOT ALLOW STANDING WATER TO SETTLE AROUND YOUR TREE WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY STUNT YOUR TREE'S GROWTH. IF YOU PLANT YOUR TREE IN AN AREA THAT IS PRONE TO FLOODING, CONSIDER PLANTING YOUR TREE ON A BERM OR MOUND TO PREVENT FLOODED SOIL CONDITIONS. CLIMATE: ZONES 9-11 ARE BEST AREAS FOR GROWING LYCHEE. IDEAL WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR LYCHEE IS A WARM TO COOL SUBTROPICAL LOCALE. MODERATELY WARM FALL TEMPERATURES THAT PROGRESS TO COOL TO COLD (ABOVE 35F) WINTERS. FRUIT PRODUCTION MAXIMIZES WHERE TEMPERATURES DURING THE WINTER ARE DRY AND COOL (BUT NOT FREEZING) AND LAST FROM 3 TO 5 MONTHS. DURING THE SPRING WHEN FLOWERING FIRST APPEARS, WARM CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FLOWER PRODUCTION. FRUIT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT WILL MAXIMIZE IN AREAS WHERE SUMMERS ARE HOT AND HUMID. LYCHEES HAVE A GREATER TOLERANCE FOR COLDER CONDITIONS AS OPPOSED TO MANGO BUT IS LESS TOLERANT WHEN COMPARED TO ORANGES. YOUNG IMMATURE TREES WITHOUT FROST PROTECTION WILL EXPERIENCE DAMAGE IF TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW 32F. LARGER, MORE WELL ESTABLISHED TREES ARE MORE TOLERANT OF COLDER TEMPERATURES BUT WILL ALSO SUFFER DAMAGE OR DEATH IF EXPOSED TO TEMPERATURES BELOW 28F FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. LYCHEE WILL NOT ACCLIMATE TO EXTENDED PERIODS OF COLD EXPOSURE AND WILL SHOW STEM AND LIMB DIEBACK, LEAF DROP, AS WELL AS BARK SPLITTING WHICH WILL LEAD TO TREE DEATH. AVOID PLANTING YOUR TREE IN AREAS THAT HAVE WINDY CONDITIONS WHICH CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO LEAVES AND STUNTED GROWTH . LARGER SURROUNDING TREES THAT PROVIDE A WIND BARRIER WILL HELP TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO YOUR TREE. FERTILIZERS: DO NOT USE ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF GROWTH WHICH MAY BURN ROOTS AND KILL YOUR YOUNG PLANT. AMMENDING YOUR SOIL WITH AN ORGANIC COMPOST PRIOR TO PLANTING YOUR TREE WILL PRODUCE MORE FAVORABLE GROWTH ESPECIALLY IF AN ORGANIC COMPOST IS PROVIDED AT LEAST MONTHLY WHILE YOUR YOUNG TREE IS MATURING. LYCHEE SEEDLING MATURE AFTER ABOUT 4 YEARS AND WILL NOT PRODUCE FRUIT UNTIL THEY ARE ABOUT 5 OR MORE YEARS OLD IN IDEAL CONDITIONS. AFTER MATURITY YOU CAN THEN APPLY A BALANCED NITROGEN, PHOSPHOROUS, POTASSIUM MIXTURE UP TO TWICE A YEAR. AFTER HARVESTING FRUIT, A LIGHT FERTILIZATION MAY BE APPLIED. AVOID ADDITIONAL FERTILIZATION UNTIL FRUIT PRODUCTION BEGINS THE FOLLOWING YEAR. FOLIAR SOLUTIONS OF IRON AND SEA KELP WILL ALSO BE BENEFICIAL WITH IRON BEING APPLIED AFTER HARVESTING. A BALANCED ORGANIC KELP SPRAY MAY BE APPLIED DURING THE SUMMER ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO IMPROVE GROWTH. MULCHING YOUR TREE USING ORGANIC WOOD CHIPS OR GRASS CUTTINGS CAN HELP TO RETAIN MOISTURE IN YOUR SOIL AS WELL AS PROTECT THE ROOT SYSTEM. APPLY A 4 INCH LAYER OF MULCH AROUND THE TREE PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS: DO NOT REMOVE YOUR SEEDLING FROM THE BIODEGRADABLE CUP OR YOU WILL RISK SHOCKING OR KILLING YOUR YOUNG SEEDLING. FOR BEST RESULTS GROW YOUR SEEDLING IN A 1TO 3 GALLON PLASTIC NURSERY CONTAINER IN PART SHADE UNTIL YOUR TREE IS AT LEAST 3 TO 5 FT TALL. ANY GOOD QUALITY WELL DRAINING POTTING SOIL WILL WORK WELL. AVOID PLACING YOUR PLANT IN AN AREA WITH EXCESSIVELY INTENSE SUNLIGHT CONDITIONS OR YOU MAY BURN AND OR LOSE YOUNG DELICATE LEAVES. IF YOUR SUNLIGHT IS INTENSE THEN GROW YOUR TREE IN PART SHADE TO PREVENT LEAF BURN WHILE YOUR YOUNG SEEDLING TREE IS STILL HARDENING OFF. YOU CAN TELL IF YOUR SUNLIGHT IS TOO HOT IF YELLOW TO BROWN BURN MARKS APPEAR ON THE LEAVES. IF SO, RELOCATE YOUR TREE TO A MORE SHADED AREA WHERE YOU CAN MONITOR ITS PROGRESS. ONCE YOUR TREE IS ABOUT 3-5 OR MORE FT TALL (THE TALLER THE BETTER) YOU CAN THEN TRANSPLANT IT TO YOUR GARDEN LOCATION OF CHOICE, PREFERABLY SOMEWHERE THAT YOUR TREE WILL GET FULL SUN FOR AT LEAST 6 TO 8 HRS PER DAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CARING FOR YOUR TREE, PLEASE MESSAGE ME AND I WILL GLADLY PROVIDE HELP
Price: 29 USD
Location: Cape Coral, Florida
End Time: 2024-10-26T21:20:22.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Climate: Mediterranean, Tropical Wet, HUMID SUB-TROPICAL, WARM WET SPRING AND SUMMERS, COOL DRY FALL AND WINTERS, HARDINESS ZONES 9-11, DROUGHT TOLERANT WHEN MATURE/WELL ESTABLISHED, DROUGHT SENSITIVE WHEN <3-4 YEARS OLD, MILD TO MODERATE DROUGHT TOLERANCE OVERALL
Common Name: LYCHEE
Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor
Growth Habit: DENSE ROUNDED SYMMETRICAL CANOPY
Soil Type: Loam, ADAPATABLE TO DIFFERENT SOIL TYPES, WELL DRAINING, MEDIUM TO HIGH ORGANIC CONTENT, TOLERANT OF PH 5.0 TO 8.5, IDEAL PH 5.6 TO 6.5, SALT SENSITIVE
Brand: VEGETATIVE SEEDLING UNGRAFTED
Season of Interest: Summer
Plant Form: YOUNG SEEDLING
Soil pH: 5.6 TO 6.5 IDEAL. TOLERANT OF 5.0 TO 8.5
Type: Fruits & Fruit Trees
Growth Stage: Seedling
Watering: REGULAR IRRIGATION UNTIL TREE IS MATURE
Genus: LITCHI
Number in Pack: 1
Growth Rate: Slow
Sunlight: Full Sun, Medium Sun, DOES BEST IN PART SHADE WHEN IMMATURE, YOUNG TREES ARE NOT TOLERANT OF FULL SUN, BEST IF CONTAINER GROWN IN PART SHADE WHEN YOUNG, FULL SUN WHEN TREE IS 3 TO 4 YEARS OLD
Foliage: EVERGREEN COMPOUND LEAVES 2-8 LEAFLETS
Features: Edible, Evergreen
