FIJIAN LONGAN (forum)

Lucy starts with ...
If you really like the smell of durian then FIJIAN LONGAN is the one for you.

The shell of the fruit is hard like egg shell, the flesh is very sweet and crunchy and has the smell of durian when ripes.

There are two varieties I don't know the name but one is green and the other purple colour. They are quite rare fruit and I buy them every year in Rusty market in Cairns around December.

By the way, I spoke to an exotic farmer in Tully who said that some researchers Analysed soils in tropical farms in Asia and found these soil is rich in sulphate of phosphate so it may be the key to growing all Asian stuff.

I will try but a little at the time (too much may be a poison) and see if things improve for my trees.

Time: 18th July 2009 8:21am

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Philip says...
Lucy, do you know how far south it will grow?

Time: 18th July 2009 8:42am

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Lucy says...
Hi Philip,

I have seen the trees in Japoonvale (Tully ) they are very big. I am not sure how far south it could grow but if you like in December we go there again and I can colect you some seeds/stones for you to try.

It is very interesing that the seed look very much like durian seed just very small like normal longan seed but a bit flat.

The fruit is as big as a blood plum and only about a dozen fruits in a bunch.




Time: 18th July 2009 11:13am

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Phil says...
ok thanks for that, sounds good. Very kind of you to offer, will definitely give them a go

Time: 18th July 2009 9:57pm

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Lucy says...
Hi Phil,

I have got your email I will contact you to get the address then send to you around the first week of Jan 10.

Time: 18th July 2009 10:01pm

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Lucy says...
Hi Phil,

Many thanks for that. I have sent you an email just now. BTW what fruit is that?

Time: 19th July 2009 8:25am

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Lucy says...
Here is the link:
http://img218.imageshack.us/i/matoapq1.jpg/

Time: 19th July 2009 12:48pm

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stv says...
"Analysed soils in tropical farms in Asia and found these soil is rich in sulphate of phosphate so it may be the key to growing all Asian stuff.''

I will keep in mind this info about Sulphate of phosphate since I have four, 30 to 40cm tall Longan trees growing. They are doing well right now. Here is another link on Longan trees. http://fruitandnuttrees.com/longan-euphoria-longan



Time: 20th July 2009 9:54pm

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amanda says...
Hi Lucy - are u sure it's sulphate of phosphate? I may b a bit slow... but I haven't heard of it - is it some kind of weird volcanic material?

Time: 20th July 2009 10:04pm

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Lucy says...
Hi Amanda and every one,
Sorry with the confusion.

The real term is Super-phosphate that the farmer told me when I was in Tully last December.

Time: 21st July 2009 9:45am

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Dekka says...
Sulphate of Phosphate is a multivalent cation pertaining to colloids.

Time: 21st July 2009 3:08pm

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amanda says...
Steady on Dekka - that's full on for a gardening forum! ;) The laymans terms are: anions (negatively charged molecules) that exist in solution (eg: water)?
Am I close-ish?

Interesting that the Asians seem 2 b adopting our farming practices tho' isn't it?

Time: 21st July 2009 9:15pm

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Speedy says...
sulphate (-SO4) and Phoshate (-PO3)are both anions and are negatively charged and dont form an compound together on their own.
in solution on their own they would be sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid.

superphosphate is produced by treating rock phosphate (Calcium phosphate) with sulphuric acid to make it soluble.
The result is superphosphate and Gypsum(Calcium sulphate).
Super often reverts back to the insoluble form when applied to soils, quickly in high pHsoils and slower in low pH soils.


In Bali, spring waters entering the Subak systems that water the rice teraces have been found to contain good levels of available phosphate which help explain the productivity- 3crops of rice per year from the same ground.

There are many places in SE Asia that are geologically very young due to volcanic activity
and so have 'new fresh' minerals available for growth of vegetation.

I hope this rant helps explain a few things. :-)

Time: 21st July 2009 10:22pm

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Lucy says...
Hi Speedy,
Many thanks for the clear explanation. I am very much appreciated. The whole thing does make sense now.

I had a conversation to the farmer and the topic came up while talking about Mangosteen tree taking forever to fruit in Australia but half of the time in Asia and that what she told me.

Time: 22nd July 2009 9:03am

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amanda says...
Hi Speedy n Lucy...sorry - don't want to b a pain .. but are they adding superphosphate do u think - or is it likely to b natural like u explained speedy?

The reason i am curious is that if they are adding superphosphate to their already rich soils - this would indicate a really high need for phosphate in these plants? (although logic tells me that this would b an expensive exercise in a poor country..)And it would then b far more than our soils could ever supply without some serious intervention?

It's a very interesting bit of info Lucy - as many of us aspire to growing tropical/sub tropical plants and there isn't really a lot of information around on their needs.

Speedy - what are good/high organic sources of readily available phosphate?

Time: 22nd July 2009 11:04am

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Speedy says...
I think what was meant by the farmer explaining to Lucy, was that SE Asian soils where Longans grow well have naturally high levels of available Phos.

Superphos in high ph soils bind quickly with Ca and become insoluble.

Soft rock Phosphate is a good source of Phos in colloidal form and not as susceptible to being locked up.

Mycorrhizal fungi is good at unlocking Phos (and other minerals) from soils and giving it to plants in exchange for sugars from the plant.

All plants (and animals) need phos as it is a major catalytic element in the conversion of sugars for energy storage and release and for photosynthesis cycle to name a few important roles.
And yes 'natives' need it too.
So to say "native plants hate Phos" is not true.
But to say that "some native plants are just overwhelmed by soluble Phos at the levels that other plants can tolerate" is a more true statement.

Foliar feeding is a good way to get it into a plant.
Phosphoric acid
Cola softdrink has Phos Acid.
good for foliar feeding mixes.
The best use Ive found for Coca cola yet!
:-)

Time: 22nd July 2009 11:43am

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Lucy says...
Hi Speedy and Amanda,

It is most unlikely that superphosphate is added to SE Asian soil.

My grant uncle had a tropical fruit farm not far from Saigon and he only used manure because those Phos was/is not available to be bought like we can in Australia.

BTW, how do I mix cola soft drink for foliar feeding? diet or normal one? Thanks.

Time: 22nd July 2009 12:14pm

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Speedy says...
If there's enough Phos in soil adding more is of no benefit.
Remember add one nutrient to the soil and it affects all the others

Not diet, but the real one.
sugar is good food for microbes in soil and on leaves.
I use a soluble fertiliser (one that doesn't have Potassium chloride but Potassium sulphate or nitrate)
Mix it about half stength with water and enough Cola drink say 1litre water to 300-400mm Cola softdrink.
I use it to provide carbohydrate with sol. fert. to make it a better food for plants and microbes that help the plants.
Sugar- carbs
phos acid - good source of available phos- food grade too
Carbonic acid- H2CO3 formed by CO2 disolved in water.
Caffeine- plant derived compound

and the sugar helps stick it to the leaf.
all ok for foliar feeding i reckon...better than drinkin it anyway...

Time: 22nd July 2009 2:40pm

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amanda says...
Ta Speedy - u should have gone for Pete Cundalls job when he left! :)

Time: 22nd July 2009 3:08pm

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Lucy says...
Many thanks speedy. You should have been a lecturer in Agriculture.

Time: 22nd July 2009 3:56pm

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trikus says...
fruiting nearly finished on these here now . A very attractive tree .. anyone growing them out of the tropics ?

Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 20th December 2013 8:54am

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Mike Tr says...
Fiji longans are pretty well done and there is a bit of diversity in the species. These are some I stumbled across last week.
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 20th December 2013 9:01am

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trikus says...
well done ? do you cook them Mike ?


Time: 26th December 2013 9:32am

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Natalia says...
Is there any chance some one can give me contact details for some seeds from Tully?

Time: 29th September 2019 8:36pm

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