Sow a fresh lychee seed as soon as you take it from the fruit, keep it warm and moist, and do not expect the seedling to match the fruit you ate.
Sow a fresh seed as soon as you take it from the fruit
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | The same day you eat the fruit, or within a few days | Do not save a dry seed in a drawer |
| Seed | A plump, shiny brown seed with the pulp rubbed off | Do not sow a shriveled seed from the compost |
| Warmth | Keep the mix damp and about as warm as a summer room, near 77°F | Do not set the pot on a cold windowsill |
| Fruit | Treat this as a curiosity plant | Do not expect named fruit from a grocery seed |
lychee seed dies fast once it dries. Clean it, soak it, and get it into mix while it is still alive. [1] A seed that sat on the counter for a week is usually dead, even if it still looks brown and shiny.
How soon do I have to sow the seed?
Within a few days of taking it from the fruit. A dry seed is usually dead.
How to sow a lychee seed
- Eat a ripe fruit and pick a large, shiny seed. Rub the pulp off so it cannot rot.
- Soak the seed in water for about a day. [2]
- Fill a small pot with a mix that drains, and press the seed in so it is barely covered.
- Keep the mix damp, not waterlogged, in a warm spot near 77°F until a shoot appears.
- Give the seedling bright light once it is up, and do not let the pot sit in a saucer of water.
How warm does the seed need to be?
Keep it around 77°F until it sprouts. Cold mix stalls the seed or kills it.
What the seedling will not do
The tree from seed will not match the fruit you ate, and it may take ten years or more to bear. [3] If you want named fruit in a few years, buy a nursery tree or air-layer a tree you like on How to Propagate Lychee. [4]
Will the tree from seed taste like the fruit I ate?
No. The seedling is a new tree. Air-layer or buy a named nursery plant if the fruit matters.
Sow it while it is still fresh, then decide later whether you want a named tree from an air-layer instead.
FAQ
How long until a seedling bears fruit?
Often ten years or more, and the fruit will not match the one you ate. An air-layered nursery tree can bear in three to five years.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Gardening Know How -
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/lychee-tree/planting-lychee-seeds.htm - [2] Gardening Know How -
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/lychee-tree/lychee-tree-propagation.htm - [3] UF/IFAS Extension -
https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG051 - [4] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/lychee/
This note is part of Litchi Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors