Growing your own lychee tree is a fun project that takes a bit of patience, but it’s totally doable for the home gardener! You’ve got two main ways to go about it: starting from cuttings or growing from seeds. If you’re looking for fruit sooner rather than later, cuttings are usually your best bet.
Propagating from Cuttings
The most straightforward way to propagate a lychee is by using cuttings. I’ll be honest, though—finding the right shoots can be a little tricky because lychee trees grow pretty slowly in their early years. Since there isn’t a ton of new growth to work with, you’ll want to skip your regular pruning if you’re planning on taking cuttings.
You have two choices here: root them in a glass of water or pop them straight into some seed-starting mix. I personally love the water method because you get a front-row seat to the root growth! Just a heads-up: you’ll need to change that water every couple of days. If the water sits too long, nasty bacteria can move in and cause your stems to rot before they even get started.
Once you see those roots developing, it’s time to pot them up. For the first few weeks, keep the soil consistently moist. Since those roots “learned” to grow in water, they aren’t used to drying out. Just make sure the pot drains well—we want moist soil, not a swamp, or you’ll run into root rot issues.
Growing from Seeds (Pits)
Another fun route is growing a lychee from the pit. Just a fair warning: lychee seeds can be a bit finicky. They have a lower germination rate and are super sensitive to drying out. If the soil dries out even once during the germination phase, the seedling usually won’t make it.
To get those seeds to sprout, they need a cozy, constant temperature of at least 77°F (25°C). A mini indoor greenhouse is perfect for this. It lets you plant several seeds at once and keeps the humidity high so the soil stays damp longer.
Before you tuck your seeds into the dirt, you’ve got to prep them:
- Carefully remove the pit from the fruit.
- Wash off any leftover fruit pulp (this prevents mold!).
- Soak the seeds in lukewarm water until the outer shell starts to crack open.
- Plant the seeds in seed-starting mix.
- Cover them with at least an inch (2 cm) of soil.
Expect to wait about four weeks before you see those first little leaves popping up. During this time, keep a close eye on them—never let that soil get bone-dry!
