tropicaltrees


Longan: The Dragon Eyes Tree Its Delectable Fruit Is Far from Fearsome


undemanding ease of care. “The flavor is excellent, and the tree itself is more forgiving of error than the lychee,” he explains. “The longan is very hardy, drought tolerant and pro- ductive.” DeNardis says a mature tree can yield between 50 and 500 pounds of fruit yearly.


O by Beth Davis


ne of the most rewarding species to grow in Southwest Florida, the longan tree is


also known as “dragon eyes,” because its fruit resembles an eyeball when shelled. The longan is related to the popular lychee, and though its flavorful fruit is sometimes considered inferior to that of its cousin, many Southwest Floridians would disagree. Master Gar- dener Frank DeNardis is among them. DeNardis has two large longan trees growing on his property in North Naples, which also doubles as a wholesale nursery, with more than 250 organically grown tropical fruit trees. He says he not only prefers the longan for its taste, but also for the bounty of fruit it produces and its


The longan is also an attractive tree, a symmetrical evergreen with dense, dark green foliage that can grow 30 to 45 feet high in South Florida. Its branched clusters of small, pale yellow flowers typically bloom from late Feb- ruary through April.


Spherical to egg-shaped, the lon- gan’s clustered fruit is slightly smaller than the lychee’s, and its thin, leath- ery peel is also smoother. As the fruit matures, the rind becomes somewhat brittle, changing color from green to tan or light brown. The pulp—sweet, musky and mildly aromatic—is fleshy and translucent and surrounds a single dark brown seed.


According to DeNardis, longan fruits mature five or six months after the tree flowers, with harvest occurring from mid-summer to early fall. Fruit is harvested by hand, with pruning shears or a pole with a cutter that holds the entire cluster, but should not be picked too soon, or it won’t continue to ripen. Harvested fruit needs to be placed


Frank DeNardis in front of his longan tree.


According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, longan fruit is low in calories, cholesterol and sodium and is a good source of potassium and vitamin C.


40 Collier/Lee Counties swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com


in the shade immediately, and then cooled as soon as possible. DeNardis says longans have a relatively short shelf life when stored at room tempera- ture. Unpeeled fruit can be placed in plastic bags and kept in the refrigera- tor for five to seven days, or it can be frozen, canned or dried within its rind to form a “longan nut,” or without the rind to create a “longan raisin.” Because longans grow quickly and are quite large at maturity, DeNardis suggests planting them at least 22 to 25 feet away from other trees and struc- tures; if crowded, they may not grow properly or produce as much fruit. Planting can be done at any time, as long as the tree is watered regularly; otherwise, the best time to plant is dur- ing late spring or early summer. Sweet and memorably flavored, longan fruit is also a nutritious snack. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, the fruit is low in calories, cholesterol and sodium and is a good source of potassium and vitamin C. Little wonder then, that the handsome tree bearing these succulent dragon eyes is becom- ing a popular landscape choice in Southwest Florida.


For more information or to make an appointment to visit Frank DeNardis’ nursery, located at 108 Viking Way, in Palm River Estates, in Naples, call 239- 597-8359. See ad, page 54.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64