Sweetheart is a premium lychee with large, heart-shaped fruit, small seeds and very sweet flesh. (Litchi chinensis 'Sweetheart')
Shop this plant: Sweetheart Lychee Tree – 3 Gal
Quick Care Summary
- Sun: Full sun, protected from strong winds.
- Soil: Well-drained, slightly acidic soil is best; on alkaline soil, plant on a mound and feed minor elements, especially iron.
- Watering: Water new trees 2-3 times a week, then weekly.
Sun
Full sun, protected from strong winds.
Soil
Well-drained, slightly acidic soil is best; on alkaline soil, plant on a mound and feed minor elements, especially iron.
Watering
Water new trees 2-3 times a week, then weekly. Reduce watering in fall and early winter to help trigger flowering, then resume when fruit sets.
Fertilizer Schedule for South Florida
Young trees: small, frequent feedings of a balanced fertilizer with minor elements (every 6-8 weeks March-August). Mature trees: feed after harvest and again in midsummer only. Do not fertilize in fall or winter, which prevents flowering.
Pruning
Prune lightly right after harvest by cutting fruiting branches back. Avoid pruning after August.
Cold Protection
Lychees need cool winters (below 60°F) to flower but are damaged below 28°F as young trees. Mature trees handle about 25°F briefly.
Container vs. In-Ground
Lychee can grow in a 20-25 gallon container for years, though it fruits best in the ground.
Spacing
Plant 20-25 ft from other trees.
Flowering and Fruiting Timeline
Air-layered trees often fruit in 3-5 years. Flowers February-March; fruit ripens June-July.
Harvest
Pick in clusters when the skin turns fully red. Lychees do not ripen after picking. Refrigerate.
Common Pests and Diseases
Start with organic, low-impact fixes: good airflow, clean-up of fallen fruit and leaves, and soaps or oils before anything stronger. Always follow label directions.
Lychee erinose mite
How to identify: Brown felty patches on leaf undersides and distorted leaves.
Organic-first treatment: Prune and destroy infested shoots and spray sulfur on new flushes.
Scale and mealybugs
How to identify: Small bumps or white cottony clusters on stems and leaf undersides, often with sticky honeydew and black sooty mold.
Organic-first treatment: Prune heavily infested twigs, spray horticultural oil or insecticidal soap, and control the ants that farm them.
Birds and squirrels
How to identify: Missing or damaged fruit.
Organic-first treatment: Net trees as fruit colors.
Anthracnose and leaf spot
How to identify: Dark sunken spots on leaves and fruit, worse in rainy weather.
Organic-first treatment: Prune for airflow, clean up fallen leaves and fruit, and use copper fungicide during wet periods if needed.
FAQ
Why is my lychee not flowering? It needs a cool, dry fall and winter; avoid fall fertilizer and water.
Is it self-fruitful? Yes.
Related Reading
- Why Too Much Fertilizer Can Hurt Your Fruit Tree More Than None
- Cold-Hardy Fruit Trees for Florida Freezes (and How to Protect Tender Ones)
- Which Fruit Trees Are the Lowest Maintenance in South Florida?
Ready to grow your own? Get the Sweetheart Lychee here.
