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No Asian landscape was considered complete without the addition of one or
more of these fine, fruiting ornamental shade trees.
They were prominently used as
accents in dooryards, or to turn a sunny corner into a shady spot suitable for
relaxing, sipping sweet jasmine tea and reading scrolls of poetry to your
sweetie on a hot summer afternoon.
Longans Dimocarpus longan
The longan season is declared open in mid-July, with the picking of
not-quite-ripe fruit by people who just can't wait any longer. The season
continues through August.
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'Elian' is a handsome tree, with
lacy, light green foliage. The medium-sized fruits are the color of
gold. |
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'Big Boy' was developed
right here in South Florida. It bears large fruits, with large
seeds, generally towards end of the longan season. |
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'Kohala' from the slopes of the
Hawaiian islands, becomes a strikingly beautiful tree with deep green
foliage. One of the more commonly used varieties bearing consistently
heavy loads of sweet fruits. |
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Lychees Litchi chinensis
Lychees produce fruit May through July.
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'Groff', with fruit ripening in
mid-July, is perhaps the latest bearing lychee variety available in
Florida. Fruits are small, but with small unfertilized seeds (known
as "chicken tongues"). The flavor is slightly tart.
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'Haak Ip' is a vigorous
variety, also known as "Blackleaf." Fruit production is
light, but consistent, with dark red, large, heart-shaped fruits.
This one is known for its excellent flavor. It has small seeds, like the
one above. |
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'Wai Chee' forms a small, spreading
tree that generally bears fruit in mid-July, with inconsistent
yields. Fruits are small, with an excellent flavor. |
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Jakfruit Artocarpus heterophylla is
an inhabitant of regions of India and Malaysia. It grows fairly quickly
into a stunning, columnar tree, with huge tawny fruits, which can weigh
more than 40 lbs. The tree in the photo at right, is planted here at
the nursery and is about 25 feet, or so, high. |
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At left is a typical example of one in a 45-gal. pot, about
10'-12' ht. |
For some nice photos of jakfruit by local tropical fruit expert, Ian Maguire,
of the University of Florida Tropical
Research and Education Center, visit http://tfphotos.ifas.ufl.edu/080101.htm
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