How To Germinate A Lychee Seed?
It is quite common to enjoy exotic fruits during the end-of-year festivities. Next time you eat lychees, don't throw away the seeds! These pretty round, smooth, and shiny seeds can give you a free green plant. We will explain to you how to germinate a lychee seed.
Step #1: Retrieve and clean the core.
We have all at some point sprouted an avocado pit in a glass of water. But have you ever considered doing the same with other exotic fruits like the lychee? The Litchi sinensis tree thrives in tropical climates and can therefore be grown as an indoor plant.
The first step to sprout a lychee pit is simply to retrieve the pit while being careful not to damage it, and then to clean it.
To clean lychee pits, remove as much flesh as possible and then soak them for 24 to 48 hours in room temperature water. Soaking softens the seed's coat and facilitates germination.
Step #2: Place the pit in an airtight container.
It is often heard that it's very easy to germinate a lychee seed and that all you need to do is plant it in damp soil. However, if you want to create optimal conditions for the germination of this type of seed, I advise you not to skip step number 2.
It involves wrapping the seed in damp cotton or paper towel. Place everything in an airtight container, in the shade, and wait for 3 weeks.
During this period, open the box occasionally to ensure that the cotton remains damp and that the seed does not rot. If you find that the cotton has dried out, moisten it again.
Step #3: Plant the seed in the ground.
After three weeks, a root has likely appeared on your seed and perhaps even a shoot! Now that you have succeeded in germinating a lychee seed, you can plant it in soil to grow a new indoor plant with evergreen foliage.
Initially, don't choose a pot that's too large! It's better to use a small container like a seedling pot.
Simply plant the seed in moist potting soil, root downwards, ensuring not to bury it too deeply. The seed must of course be in contact with the soil, but the shoot or the top of the seed should remain visible.
Preferably use a special seedling and transplanting mix and keep it always moist, especially at the beginning. The first leaves should appear on your lychee 4 weeks after planting.
Note: the leaves are bronze to red when they first appear, then gradually turn green. This color change is completely normal.
Step No. 4: Maintaining a potted lychee.
The lychee is a slow-growing plant that you can keep for many years, provided you take good care of it.
After sprouting a lychee seed, you should pay attention to the following points:
• Place the pot in a bright room but away from direct sunlight, which could burn its foliage.
• Avoid placing it next to a heat source like a radiator because this tropical species needs high ambient humidity. When the atmosphere is too dry, its leaves turn brown.
• Mist the foliage every 10 days and take the opportunity to clean the leaves on both sides. You can also place the pot over a bed of moist clay pebbles if the atmosphere in your home is too dry.
• Keep the soil always moist, but without letting water stagnate at the bottom of the pot.
• Repot the lychee at the beginning of spring as soon as it becomes too cramped in its pot. If you have used a seedling cup, you can repot your baby lychee after 6 months. Regular repotting allows for the renewal of the soil and gives your plant enough space to flourish.
