Plants

lychee

Litchi chinensis Sonn.

Family: Sapindaceae · Genus: Litchi

litchi

Climax High No biomass production

lychee — Colin Meurk · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

Asian subtropical fruit tree naturalized in southern and southeastern Brazil. EcoAgri lists it in the high stratum of the '> 50 years' bin. Fruits in 4 years when grafted, 10 years from seed.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Climax
Ecological role: Late secondary
Primary stratum: High
Strata: High
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Low
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 5–6.5
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones: 10–11
Frost tolerance: -3.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 10–25 m
Recommended spacing: 8–10 m
Root system: Fibrous
Root depth: Shallow
Growth rate: Moderate
Lifespan: 100 years
Time to first harvest: 48 months
Productive lifespan: 50 years

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Naturalized

Köppen classes

Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Lychee takes the High stratum in the Climax phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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🪴 Cultivation

A subtropical fruit tree needing a mild but non-freezing winter, warm spring and hot summer to flower. Deep, well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH ~5.0–6.5) rich in organic matter; does poorly on alkaline or heavy clay soil. Shallow root system — avoid cultivating near the trunk and keep mulch. Frost-sensitive until well established (~3 years); mature trees tolerate brief -3 °C. Spacing 8–10 m.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Light formative and cleaning pruning; harvesting, by cutting the fruit clusters with a bit of stem, acts as post-harvest pruning and stimulates the vegetative flushes that carry the next bloom.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September

Fruiting months: November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of lychee?

The first harvest of lychee comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for lychee?

The recommended spacing for lychee is 8–10 m.

How tall does lychee grow?

At maturity, lychee reaches 10–25 m tall.

When does lychee fruit?

Fruiting of lychee occurs in November, December.

When does lychee flower?

Flowering of lychee occurs in August, September.

What stage and stratum does lychee occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, lychee belongs to the climax stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous

Propagation

Grafting, Air layering

Citations

EcoAgri — Organização de algumas espécies vegetais por tempo de vida (placentas) e estrato (Cartilha 'Liberdade e Vida com Agrofloresta') , p. 4 (primary_stratum, gotsch_stage)
pfaf.org (root_system, root_depth, ph_min, ph_max, frost_tolerance_c, soil_texture_preference, cultivation_notes)
ask.ifas.ufl.edu (spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, frost_tolerance_c, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, cultivation_notes, pruning_notes)
assets-global.echocommunity.org (flowering_months, fruiting_months, productive_lifespan_years, lifespan_years_max)