The Ruby Longan (Dimocarpus longan 'Ruby') is a rare and visually striking tropical fruit tree, known for its bright red-skinned fruit and sweet, juicy flesh. It's a special cultivar of the traditional longan, developed for its enhanced color, flavor, and ornamental value.
🌿 Plant Description
Scientific Name: Dimocarpus longan ‘Ruby’
Family: Sapindaceae (same as lychee and rambutan)
Type: Evergreen tropical fruit tree
🌳 Tree Characteristics
Height: Typically 10–12 meters in the ground; shorter in containers.
Crown: Rounded and moderately dense canopy.
Leaves:
Dark green, glossy, and compound with several leaflets.
Young leaves often emerge with a reddish tint.
Bark: Brown to gray and relatively smooth.
🌼 Flowers
Type: Small, creamy-yellow to white.
Arrangement: Borne in terminal panicles (clusters).
Pollination: Mostly insect-pollinated, especially by bees.
🍇 Fruit Features
Skin: Distinctive ruby-red when ripe—unlike the usual brown longan.
Size: About the size of a large grape or small lychee.
Flesh: Translucent white, juicy, and fragrant.
Flavor: Sweet and musky, similar to lychee but milder.
Seed: Large, dark brown to black, glossy.
🌱 Growing Conditions
Climate: Thrives in warm, humid, tropical to subtropical climates.
Soil: Prefers fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil.
Light: Full sun is best for fruit production.
Water: Moderate watering; avoid waterlogging.
Cold Tolerance: Sensitive to frost; best grown in zones 10–11 or protected microclimates.
🕒 Fruiting
Maturity Time: Typically begins fruiting 2–3 years after planting if grafted.
Harvest Season: Late summer to early autumn in tropical regions.
🩺 Health & Nutritional Benefits
High in vitamin C, antioxidants, and minerals like iron and potassium.
Known in traditional medicine for its calming and restorative effects.