The truly tropical relative of the Lychee and Longan, the Rambutan is the exotic cousin of these more common fruits, with its peculiar appearance belying a sweet, delectable flesh within. The name Rambutan is aptly derived from the Malay word for hair, “Rambut”, with fruits appearing hairy due to their covering with soft, hair-like spines. Both candy to sight and taste, Rambutan’s vary in appearance from deep to light reds with green to yellow ‘hairs’, yellow skinned varieties are also grown. Fruits commonly grow between 3-6cm, distinctly larger than the more common Lychee. Beneath the leathery, easily peeled skin is a juicy flesh very similar to Lychee but a stronger flavour with more sweetness and balancing acidity. Rambutan’s are delicious eaten raw but can also be canned or preserved in syrup to keep harvests for longer. Rambutans are more tropical than both the Lychee and Longan and are only commercially viable in tropical lowland climates characterised by year-round heat, humidity and plentiful rainfall. Rambutans prefer fertile, slightly acidic, loam soils although they will tolerate a wide range provided they are not waterlogged or alkaline. Cool temperatures are a significant inhibitor of growth and health, despite this, the reported tolerance exceeds expectations based on preferred temperatures with plants tolerating down to -1 degrees when mature although foliage is damaged below 6 degrees. While the Rambutan prefers ultratropical conditions, it can tolerate some more marginal subtropical climates and brief temperature swings provided they are very infrequent and conditions such as soil structure and PH is ideal. For those in tropical climates that often struggle to get slightly cooler periods preferred by Lychees, the Rambutans are a superb, perhaps superior option. Rambutans grow up to 25m tall but can be kept at a smaller more manageable height for maintenance and harvesting while still producing well. If allowed to grow to a large tree the Rambutan’s spreading crown can provide useful shade for either enjoyment or undercropping. Exotic, delicious fruit often considered superior to its less flavourful relatives, the Rambutan is amongst the best of the Sapindaceae family and an excellent choice for gardeners in the tropics.
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