Longan
Dimocarpus longan
The lychee's easygoing cousin.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 30 ft tall, 30 ft wide
Harvest: July to September
From: S. China
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: South & Southeast Asian tropics, East Asia. Hardy in zones 10 to 11.
The story
Longan, the dragon's eye, is lychee's hardier cousin from the hills of southern China and Southeast Asia, dried and candied for centuries as a tonic. It tolerates more heat and poorer soil than lychee and ripens later.
Planting
Full sun, drained soil, and shelter from wind; it is a large, long-lived tree. Plant a grafted or air-layered tree.
Growing
Water through the dry season and feed lightly; it bears better after a cool, dry winter. Prune after harvest to keep it in reach.
Harvest and use
Clusters ripen in late summer when the skin turns tan and the flesh is translucent. Pick whole panicles and eat fresh, or dry them.
What to watch for
Birds, lychee stink bug where present, and alternate-year bearing.
See if Longan fits your yard
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More tropical and subtropical food plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home