Ping Pong Longan (Dimocarpus longan)

A premier exotic longan cultivar highly favored across Kerala rooftop orchards, celebrated for its exceptionally large, spherical, light-tan fruits that reach the size of a ping-pong ball. The thick, translucent, white flesh is extraordinarily sweet and juicy, encasing a single small dark seed and offering a rich, aromatic floral flavor profile.

Grafted and air-layered trees adapt remarkably well to large rooftop containers and grow bags (18×18 or 24×24 inches). With regular post-harvest tip pruning to maintain a low, dense, dome-shaped canopy, it thrives in intense terrace sun, copes well with Kerala’s high humidity, and yields heavy clusters of large fruit within 1.5 to 2 years of planting!

Description

Ping Pong Longan is an exotic tropical fruit variety known for its relatively large, round fruits with thin, brown skin and translucent, juicy flesh surrounding a single dark seed. The fruits have a sweet, aromatic flavour and are commonly enjoyed fresh. The tree grows well in warm subtropical and tropical climates and prefers full sunlight for healthy growth and fruit production. It thrives in fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Water regularly while the plant is young, keeping the soil moderately moist without waterlogging. Once established, the tree can tolerate short dry periods. Proper drainage, adequate sunlight, and regular care help support healthy growth and fruit development in home gardens and orchards.

Recommended Planting Method for Best Results

For healthy growth and strong establishment, prepare a 2–3 ft deep pit. If available, place a layer of green leaves at the bottom. Mix 1.5 kg bone meal, 1 kg oil cake, 20 kg raw cow or goat dung, and 100 g urea with an equal quantity of soil, then fill the pit and cover it with soil.

Leave the pit for about one month, watering it daily so the mixture decomposes well. After one month, mix the contents again and add 100 g calcium or dolomite. Wait one more week, then plant the sapling.

If you need to plant immediately and cannot wait for the one-month decomposition period, do not add oil cake or calcium/dolomite; use only the soil, manure, bone meal, and urea mixture for planting.