Jenny's Garden...Plant images and gardening descriptions

Dimocarpus longan Lour.
(Longan, Lungan, Dragon Eye, Cat's Eye)

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Image of  Dimocarpus longan Lour.
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Dimocarpus longan Lour.
(Longan, Lungan, Dragon Eye, Cat Eye)


Synonyms: 
Nephelium longan, (Lam.) Carm., Euphoria longana Steud.)
Origin:  Mayanmar, South China, Southwest India, Sri Lanka, Indochinese peninsula
Family:  Sapindaceae
Light:  Full sun/part shade
Height:  30-40'
Width:  30-40'
Blooms:  Brownish-yellow, terminal, 4-18" long, widely branched,  small, 5-6 sepals and petals,  panicled (each panicle carries 300+ fruits), Spring
Fruit:  Round, brown-skinned, about 1.5" in diameter, juicy transparemt pulp;  there is a glossy brown seed inside each fruit, late Summer
Foliage:  1' long, green, dense, pinnately compound, leathery, shiny, has wavy margin and bluntly-pointed tip
Water:  Abundant from bloom to harvest, reduce in late Summer and Winter
Soil:  Well-drained, sandy, loamy
Fertilizer:  Well-balanced 6-6-6 NPK, thrice a year -before blooming, late Spring and before harvesting
Insects / Disease:  Scales , lychee webworms and Red Alga
Uses:  Specimen, landscaping
Propagation:  Seeds, grafting, air layering, cuttings (provide mist and bottom heat)
Comments: Dimocarpus longan Lour. or Longan or Lungan or Dragon Eye or Cat Eye is a fairly  fast-growing subtropical fruit tree.  This evergreen tree is symmetrical in shape and has  with a corky bark.  Plant Lungan tree during rainy season, at about 25' from other trees to avoid competition.  Mulch 1' away from trunk to retain moisture.  Remove shoot tips to promote branching.   Dragon Eye fruits are sweet and juicy when eaten fresh;  they are high in potassium and low in calories.  Excess fruits can be refrigerated or frozen.  Longan fruits can be dried or canned and they are  sold in Asian grocery stores.  Dried Longan fruits are popularly used in Chinese medicine. Canned Longan makes a great dessert.  This plant attracts bees and birds expecially the Monk-parakeets and Boat-tailed crackles so netting is required so there'll be fruits left for human consumption.  Protect Longan tree from wind and frost.  Keep tree under 20' to prevent limb breakage.  Dimocarpus longan makes an excellent shade or specimen  tree in the landscaping garden.
USDA Hardiness Zones :  9a