This post comes to you from Lychee Heaven.

This year is just one of those great years for lychee, and this is our first big crop! So many trees are just bursting with beautiful bright red sweet juicy lychee. Because we planted different varieties, we will be in Lychee Heaven for about 3 months!

Our friends said, why are you growing fruit trees? It takes so long to get any fruit. We said, well, the time goes by whether you have trees or not, and if you have trees and take care of them, then after the time goes by, you will have fruit!

Yesterday, my husband went out and laid down under a lychee tree and just picked the fruit and ate and ate. He came back to the house with a big smile on his face.

Lychee Heaven!

Aloha, -Ally



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2006 10:52PM by Ally.

what a relaxing way to spend an afternoon! ! congrats!

I LOVE lychees! So refreshing and sweet!All wrapped individually like a gift from the heavens!

How wonderful!

Did you start with just seeds or saplings? How many years before they bore fruit?

Congratulations on being some of the most intelligent people on the planet!

Ha! ha! We've got a big organic lychee grove here in Sebring, FL. Good stuff - for a change.

-David Mason

Thank you Luna and 24Carrots!

Vegangoddess, where are you from that you are familiar with lychees?

24Carrots,

We bought our lychee trees as air layered saplings. That way the tree bears fruit that is like the mother. If you try to grow from seed, you may get a wonderful productive tree, or you may get one that does not produce much at all.

Air layered is a process of wrapping a young branch with moss and enclosing the wrapped area to allow roots to form on the branch. Then the branch is cut off and planted.

We planted a few lychee trees about 10 years ago, but most of them are about 6 years old I think. The 10-year old trees have a lot more lychee on them because there is more tree, but it's kind of amazing that so many of the younger ones are producing this year too. Just a good year for lychee I guess.

I've read that lychee trees can live 400 years!

Best wishes, -Ally

PS to 24Carrots: I just read some of your blog today. U Go Girl!

Yes indeedy davidzanemason! Didn't know if they grew in Florida. I was actually thinking of asking you that. I think they come from southern China.

I remember reading that the some of the Chinese rulers would order their servants to rush-deliver lychees on horseback before they could go bad.

Do you happen to know what variety are grown in Sebring?

-Ally



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2006 01:52AM by Ally.

Allyeeeeeeee,

Omg, we are all so jealous. What a treat to be able to eat as many lychees for three months. All I can get here in MD is whatever my local coop decides to carry. Atleast they are organic.

Enjoy them.

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

how do you eat them?

I always see them at the store and am intrigued by their slightly primitive look but I don't know what to do w/them so I've never bought one.

You simply peel the top brown layer off and eat! It tastes soooooo gorgeous. No raw food recipe comes close to the delicacies that nature herself has come up with!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2006 04:10PM by vegangoddess.

Ally:

-There are a couple of varieties, but Brewster seems to be the most popular for taste (as reported to me by the grove owner)

-David Mason

Thanks, sounds easy, I will def try one!