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Lychee-growing areas


Pan

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Until recently, I assumed that the June-July lychees for sale in New York came from Guangdong province in China, because they are often as good as the lychees I used to eat in Hong Kong. Yesterday, I saw the box the lychees came in. It said "Product of Florida." I'm impressed that Florida farmers are growing such excellent lychees! In which part of the state are they growing them? And for those of you who live in other parts of the world, what do you know about where your lychees are coming from, and how good are they?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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The man who runs this website grows his lychees in Florida

"Avoid buying any lychees from Mexico or other growers outside the United States. Other countries that produce lychees don't subject growers to the same tough agricultural regulations that U.S. growers face.
The lychee is native to low elevations of the provinces of Kwangtung and Fukien in Southern China. Cultivation spread over the years through neighboring areas of southeastern Asia and offshore islands. It reached Hawaii in 1873, and Florida in 1883, and was conveyed from Florida to California in 1897

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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Germany imports them from Madagascar around Christmas time. They are sold at amazingly cheap prices (around 2.90 euros for one kilo). It wasn't until we came to Germany that we ever really ate our fill of lychees.

We were in Barcelona a couple of years back just before Christmas. I think the lychees were also from Madagascar, and they were around the same price.

India, of course, grows its own lychees. They are sold with each of the lychees still attached to a length of the branch (or twig rather) they grew on, with the branches bound together to form a bunch.

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There are beautiful lychees grown here in Hawaii on the big island. They are in season right now. The same farm also grows amazing rambutan.

How come we don't get that amazing rambutan here? :angry:

Oh well, enjoy it. :biggrin:

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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Until recently, I assumed that the June-July lychees for sale in New York came from Guangdong province in China, because they are often as good as the lychees I used to eat in Hong Kong. Yesterday, I saw the box the lychees came in. It said "Product of Florida." I'm impressed that Florida farmers are growing such excellent lychees! In which part of the state are they growing them? And for those of you who live in other parts of the world, what do you know about where your lychees are coming from, and how good are they?

FWIW - the grove that has the website is in Davie - which is in Broward County (Fort Lauderdale neighborhood). Robyn

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There are beautiful lychees grown here in Hawaii on the big island. They are in season right now. The same farm also grows amazing rambutan.

How come we don't get that amazing rambutan here? :angry:

Oh well, enjoy it. :biggrin:

Because we eat it all!!! :raz:

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

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  • 3 weeks later...

My understanding is that Lychees are actually a sub-tropical fruit, and it seems they do not grow well in countries close to the Equator. It’s therefore not surprising that they would be well suited to areas like Florida and Hawaii.

In addition to China, there is also a lot lychee production in Thailand. The fruit from the Northern Chang Mei area of Thailand is much larger and sweeter than the Chinese product, and the Thais have developed better post-harvest handling techniques, which allow the fruit to arrive fresher.

Australia grows a pretty good lychee as well. I heard that there is also some production in South Africa and in somewhere is Latin America, but I am not sure how much.

I think Lychees are now available in Canada year-round from one country or another, however for the USA there are limited countries permited to ship there.

If you like Lychees, you should also try not only Rambutans, and Longans, which are widely available in Vancouver, Toronto, and Maontreal. In Malaysia we also export some Pulasan; which is like a plum size Rambutan only better.

thumb_02%20pulasan%20cut%20out%20lg.jpg

Bruce Milligan,

Tropical Fruit Specialist, www.paradasia.com

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Israel is growing them now. One of my local markets has lychees from there.

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

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Pulasan? What an odd name for a fruit! (Pulas=to take off or remove in Malay. Sure, I guess you remove the peel...)

I've never heard of it. What part of Malaysia is growing pulasan?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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  • 1 year later...
  • 9 months later...
Pulasan? What an odd name for a fruit! (Pulas=to take off or remove in Malay. Sure, I guess you remove the peel...)

I've never heard of it. What part of Malaysia is growing pulasan?

Tastes like a more tangy rambutan. Supposedly, the pith on the seed is less likely to come out than the pith on the seed of a rambutan.

Me, I think they mostly come from China--like Ninjai Fanatic, I'm in Asia, Singapore to be specific.

May

Totally More-ish: The New and Improved Foodblog

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I used to have a neighbor in Palm Beach county that put up a sign when hers were ripe. She had about a dozen trees or so.

I guess I should hit the nurseries and find one to install in my yard.

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When I was on my externship in Palm Beach, one of the garde manger cooks told me about her little lychee operation -- I think she said a dozen or so trees, and that yeah, she could sell them for $5 a pound and her trees would produce a few hundred pounds with very little work! I think one of the hurricanes damaged her trees though -- but it made me wish theyd grow in upstate NY ;)

Rico

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When I was on my externship in Palm Beach, one of the garde manger cooks told me about her little lychee operation -- I think she said a dozen or so trees, and that yeah, she could sell them for $5 a pound and her trees would produce a few hundred pounds with very little work! I think one of the hurricanes damaged her trees though -- but it made me wish theyd grow in upstate NY ;)

That would be Frances and/or Jeanne. Just a couple of weeks apart. Wilma was the next summer.

Sounds like we knew the same lady.

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Until recently, I assumed that the June-July lychees for sale in New York came from Guangdong province in China, because they are often as good as the lychees I used to eat in Hong Kong. Yesterday, I saw the box the lychees came in. It said "Product of Florida." I'm impressed that Florida farmers are growing such excellent lychees! In which part of the state are they growing them? And for those of you who live in other parts of the world, what do you know about where your lychees are coming from, and how good are they?

I live in Florida.

I grow them in my backyard.... they LOVE it here... very low maintenance. =) All of the lychee in our markets are grown locally.

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Do you think they make it in Texas, say in Houston where my parents are?

I'm guessing, but I think the answer is no. They need a period of cool weather to ...I don't know. Fruit or something. But I know the growing season requires a period of cool weather, otherwise the yield is low and the fruit isn't fleshy.

May

Totally More-ish: The New and Improved Foodblog

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