Native & adapted

Lychee

Litchi chinensis

Also known as Litchi · Lichee · Vải

Prized for its fragrant, juicy fruit. Lychee can grow in Phoenix as a slow, small tree with afternoon shade, but crops are less reliable than longan.

EdibleFruitingEvergreenContainer friendly

Landscape layersLower canopy

Mature size

8–15 ft tall and 8–15 ft wide in Phoenix

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b

Plant spacing

12–15 ft from other trees

Frost

Young trees damaged near 32°F; mature trees survive brief dips to about 28°F.

Special categories

EDIBLE

Hardiness guidance

USDA 10–11; mature trees take brief dips to about 28°F

Winter chill

None, but it needs a cool, dry winter spell to flower

Typical harvest

Late spring to early summer, usually May and June.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Slightly acidic, rich, fast-draining soil. Add soil sulfur and compost generously; use low-salt water if possible.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Afternoon shade, shelter from hot dry wind, and frost cover in winter.

Cold hardiness

Cover in a hard freeze below 32°F

Young trees are damaged at 28 to 32°F, and several hours at 24 to 25°F can badly hurt or kill big trees. It does not harden off in cool weather, and a Phoenix Brewster lost almost every leaf after a 27°F night, so cover young trees every frost and established trees in a hard freeze.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 32°F

Heat tolerance

Needs afternoon shade

Probably the hardest one here for heat: it tops out around 104°F, and even coastal California is considered too dry for it. Give it afternoon shade, shelter from hot dry wind, and steady water through summer.

Sources:

edis.ifas.ufl.edu , hort.purdue.edu , phoenixtropicals.com

Right plant, right place

Will Lychee grow at your Arizona property?

Air-layered trees fruit sooner. Phoenix's dry heat is hard on it, so a sheltered courtyard gives the best results.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Morning sun with afternoon shade from June through September, such as the east side of a house or under a taller nurse tree. Protect from frost on winter nights.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate and steady through summer. Dry it down a little from late fall to midwinter to trigger flowering.

Fruit set

Pollination

Self-fertile; bees help set fruit.

Harvest

How to use it

Fresh, frozen or dried.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Lychee thrive

1
Keep it shaded and well mulched in summer.
2
Limit water and nitrogen from November to January so it flowers in spring.
3
Leach the soil with a deep watering every month or two to flush salts.
4
Cover with frost cloth on nights below 32°F.

Read the horticultural reference ↗