The Longan is an equatorial, medium to large, 10 to 20 m tall evergreen fruit tree, with a heavy canopy. This highly ornamental tree has beautiful green leaves and bunches of yellow flowers that have a terrific scent. It is a close relation to Litchi but a good deal larger, stronger and less demanding, with regard to climate. it is more tolerant to cold and soil conditions. It is found in China, Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Longan is a productive bearer and flourishes in monsoonal areas with marked rainy and dry seasons. The fresh fruit which hold on grape-like bunches is about 2.5 cm long, has a caramel brown, thin, leathery exterior, white juicy flesh, pleasurably sweet and with a large black seed.

The fruit is sold for the fresh food market, but could be preserved, in thick, sugary syrup or dried. It is used to make sweets or eaten fresh. The dried fruit is dark brown or black. Longan fruit is very effective in unwinding the body. Longans don't ripen off the tree and maturity is estimated by the specific shape, skin color and flavor of each cultivar.

Longans can be propagated readily from seed but the favorite method is by marcotting (air-layering) or grafting. Trees commence to bear fruit in about the fourth year. The best development and cropping of longan is attained on deep, well drained productive soils with a pH of 5.5 to 6.0 and low salinity. Productiveness of longan is closely associated to climatic conditions during the flowering and fruit development period.

longan

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The key to successful fruit and nut production is the provision of a beneficial environment for the trees that bear them.