Litchi Cultivars

Cultivars

Season: mid-October to mid November
Skin: Thick, though. Bright red when ripe. Easy to peel
Seed: Medium to Large
Flesh: Thick, medium to sweet flesh with lots of rag

Leaflets: Leatherly, thick, shiny, dark green leaves. Long and pointed, commonly six to eight per leaf.
Growth Flushes: Dark Green
Tree Structure: Upright grower, sparse foliage on lower branches

  • Cultivar is difficult to propagate.
  • Protection from birds essential.
  • Earliest cultivar available in South Africa
  • Cultivar also known as “Sanyuehong”, “Sum Yee Hong”
  • Meaning of name: Ripe in the third month (March, Northern Hemisphere)

Season: mid-October to end-November
Skin: Bright red colour with smooth texture when fully mature
Seed: Medium , elongated, but mostly aborted
Flesh: Crisp, juicy and fragant. High percentage flesh

Leaflets: Dark green, long, thick leaves. Commonly 4 to 6 per leaf
Growth Flushes: Light green to yellow
Tree Structure: Vigorous, long branches, spreading

  • Large fruit with good eating quality.
  • Ripens about 3 weeks before the cultivar, ‘Mauritius’

Season: mid-November to mid-December
Skin: Green overlaid with red patches when ripe. Overripe when fully coloured. Thick, leathery skin. Sharp protuberances
Seed: Mostly small, shriveled seed
Flesh: Soft, juicy and fragrant. High percentage flesh

Leaflets: Commonly 4 to 6 per leaf. Large, oblong lanceolate
Growth Flushes: Light green to yellow
Tree Structure: Vigorous, long braches, spreaing, foliage sparse

  • Large fruit with excellent eating quality
  • Ripens a week before the cultivar ‘ Mauritius’
  • Does well in warm climates
  • Cultivar also known as ‘Feizixiano’, ‘Yu Her Pau’, and ‘Hook Ho Pow’
  • Meaning of name: Imperial Concubine Laugh

Season: mid-November to early-January
Skin: Dull red with smooth protuberances when fully ripe
Seed: Medium to large. Up to 10% chicken-tongue seed
Flesh: Sweet, crisp, firm and juicy

Leaflets: Commonly 4 to 6 per leaf
Growth Flushes: Bronze, changing to pale green
Tree Structure: Large, vigorous, spreading with open crown

  • Most important cultivar in may Southern Hemisphere countries with wide adaptability
  • Excellent eating quality
  • Irregular yields but large crops in on season
  • Susceptible to wind damage and sunburn
  • Cultivar also known as ‘Tai So’, ‘Dazao’, ‘Homg Huey’, and ‘Kwai Mi’
  • Meaning of name: Big Crop

Season: end-November to mid-December
Skin: Bright red colour, smooth skin texture
Seed: Medium
Flesh: Sweet, crisp, firm and juicy

Leaflets: Commonly 4 to 6 per leaf
Growth Flushes: Yellow/light green
Tree Structure: Spreading, less vigorous than Mauritius

  • Excellent eating quality
  • Consistent flowering and cropping

Season: end-December to mid-January
Skin: Rough with sharp protuberances, red developing to dark purple 
Seed: Small to medium
Flesh: Crisp and sweet

Leaflets: Commonly 5 to 7 per leaf
Growth Flushes: Red
Tree Structure: Dome shaped, compact

  • High yielding
  • Good size and colour
  • Good flesh recovery

Season: early-January to early-February
Skin: Bright red colour, thick skin, sharp protuberances
Seed: Large
Flesh: Soft, sweet and juicy

Leaflets: Commonly 4 to 6 per leaf. Distinctive twist along the length of the leaflet
Growth Flushes: Bronze, changing to pale green
Tree Structure: Vigorous, spreading with open crown

  • High yielding in ‘on’ years
  • Attractive, bright red fruit
  • Poor flesh to seed ratio
  • Branches have vigorous, spreading growth habit
  • Cultivar also known as ‘Bengal’, ‘Madras’

Season: end-January to end-February
Skin: Bright red colour, smooth skin texture, thick
Seed: Medium
Flesh: Sweet, fragrant and juicy

Leaflets: Small, oval-shaped, commonly 4-6 per leaf
Growth Flushes: Reddish
Tree Structure: Dome shaped, compact, dense foliage, low vigour

  • Good eating quality
  • Consistent flowering and cropping
  • Long harvesting period
  • Required less sulphur for fumigation than the cultivar ‘Mauritius’
    Very suitable for drying
  • Cultivar also known as ‘Huaizhi’
  • Meaning of name: Cherished litchi

Source: Litchi cultivar information and photographs provided by the ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops (ARC-ITSC), Nelspruit