by 
Named after the African island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar, the Mauritius Lychee has earned a reputation as being one of the best all around lychee trees to plant.
That is because not only is the fruit delicious and offers a flavor complexity that isn’t found in many other cultivars, but Mauritius is also known to have highly reliable fruit production! For these reasons, Mauritius is the number one commercial cultivar of lychee grown in Florida.
That said, this grow guide will cover everything that you need to know about Mauritius Lychee:
Table of Contents
- Mauritius Lychee Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
- Mauritius Lychee Flavor Profile
- Mauritius Lychee Season (And When To Pick)
- Mauritius Lychee Disease Resistance
- Mauritius Lychee Tree For Sale
- Conclusion
Mauritius Lychee Tree Growth Habit & Fruit Production
The Mauritius Lychee is considered a medium to large-sized fruit tree.
Mauritius Lychees have a highly vigorous and spreading growth habit that produces a dense and well-rounded canopy. As a result, Mauritius Lychee Trees can realistically be kept between 15 – 25 feet with annual pruning.
Unlike slower growing varieties like Emperor, Mauritius cannot be grown in a container over the long-term.
Let’s now talk fruit production.
For those new to growing lychees, lychee tree’s fruit production can vary wildly from year to year (that’s partially why they are so expensive!). So while it’s true that one can reasonably expect fruit every year, the overall yield is very cyclical i.e. good year, bad year, good year, bad year.
Mauritius Lychee’s fruit production consistently ranges from regular to irregular. In other words, one can expect a Mauritius Lychee Tree to produce reasonably well (have a ‘good year’) every 1 – 2 years.
So while Mauritius does have a more vigorous growth rate, it makes up for this fact by being a much more consistent producer. In fact, if consistent production is a top priority for you, then I would highly consider planting either a Mauritius or a Brewster, both of which are the top-producing commercial cultivars in Florida.
In my opinion, Mauritius offers the ideal balance of quality, yield, and ease of care for the majority of homeowners seeking to plant a lychee tree.
Finally, similar to Emperor, Sweetheart, Kaimana, and Hak Ip, Mauritius is considered a ‘Mountain Type’ lychee.
In a nutshell, ‘Mountain Type’ lychee trees have:
- Fruit with a rougher skin texture
- Improved cold tolerance
- Improved drought resistance
- Relatively smaller canopies
Mauritius Lychee Flavor Profile
Mauritius Lychees generally weigh between 15 – 25 grams per fruit.
Between the fruit’s smaller size and low probability of developing chicken tongue seeds, Mauritius Lychees have an OK flesh-to-seed ratio. You are definitely not getting as much fruit as an Emperor or Sweetheart.
Side Note: A “chicken tongue” seed in lychees refers to an underdeveloped or partially formed seed that is small, thin, and often shriveled, resembling a chicken’s tongue, which leaves more edible fruit flesh.
Additionally, it might just be me being a klutz, but I have also found that the seed from Mauritius doesn’t pop out as easily compared to other lychee cultivars.
Upon cracking open the bumpy pinkish-red skin of a Mauritius Lychee, you’ll discover juicy, white pulp inside.
The fruit’s flesh has a distinct subacid quality that adds a delightful complexity when perfectly ripe. It should be noted that if the fruit is picked on the earlier side, then it will develop a slight tart kick. That said, when the fruit is allowed to tree-ripen, this tartness mellows out, leaving a balanced sweetness with just a hint of acidity.
I personally enjoy this flavor complexity. The fruit is not just pure sweetness overload; it has an extra layer of complexity (particularly the slight tartness) that makes each bite interesting.
Now, if you’re a fan of Brewster Lychee, you might notice some subtle differences.
For example, one of the big draws for Brewster is that it boasts a wonderful lychee/rose aroma and incredibly sweet flesh. And as silly as it sounds, Brewster has always had a slight edge over Mauritius in my book because of its wonderful fragrance that amplifies the eating experience (in addition to the pure, sweet taste).
Ultimately, the choice between Mauritius and Brewster comes down to personal preference.
If you enjoy a lychee with a bit of tartness to balance a mild sweetness, Mauritius is your go-to. However, if you prefer an intensely sweet and fragrant lychee, Brewster might be more up your alley.
But just remember, the best lychee is the one in hand 😜
Mauritius Lychee Season (And When To Pick)
Mauritius Lychees are considered an early season fruit, typically harvested from Mid-May to Late-June.
In both central and south Florida, Mauritius is one of the earliest to ripen, right alongside Hak Ip and Sweetheart.
After these early varieties, Kaimana and Brewster begin to ripen. Emperor are usually the last to mature, rounding out the season. This ripening sequence is consistent in both central and south Florida.
In terms of what to look for to determine whether the fruit is ready to be picked, Mauritius Lychees are best picked when the majority of the fruit is pinkish-red and has just touch of green on them.
Additionally, do not harvest the fruit when they are half red and half green. This will make the fruit taste very sour!
Similar to avocados, I like to harvest one or two small clusters at a time and taste the fruit. If the fruit doesn’t taste as it should, then I’ll give the rest of the fruit some more time to ripen properly on the tree.
When harvesting, cut the main stem bearing the fruit clusters several inches behind the clusters. You can either detach the fruit from the clusters before storage or leave them on.
Mauritius Lychee Disease Resistance
The main disease that impacts lychee fruit production is anthracnose. According to the University of Florida, Mauritius Lychee’s susceptibility rating to anthracnose is ‘Susceptible’
As a result, I would generally avoid planting Mauritius in areas with very humid conditions.
Additionally, practices such as ensuring good air circulation around the tree via proper pruning and avoiding overhead watering can reduce the risk of an anthracnose infection.
Mauritius Lychee Tree For Sale
Because Mauritius is a well-established and popular variety, they are typically found for sale at most local garden nurseries. Even if they aren’t in stock, most nurseries can procure them relatively quickly!
Conclusion
If you found this grow guide helpful, please consider sharing. It helps support the website 🙂
If you have any questions regarding anything mentioned in this grow guide, please comment them below! This way, others can also benefit from the answer to the same question. For any other questions or growing tips that you think may be helpful, feel free to use the contact form and drop me a line.
Thank you for reading! 🙂
_
