Longan - Dragon Eye - browning

[Biocellguy]

I have a longan tree in a pot. I have had it for a few years, but I cannot get it to keep it's leaves and branches. The meristem keeps making baby branches. When they mature, the leaves begin to brown on the edges. Then, over time, the whole leaf browns and the branch falls off. Right now it is about 2.5 feet, but only branches are near the meristems.

The multimeter readings show the pH is close to 7 and a relatively good dampness.

I have tried:
More light
Less light
Spraying leaves to increase the humidity
Transplanting
Adding pellet fertilizer.

Nothing works.

 

[Marck]

Greetings, welcome to the Forums.

First, to be clear and correct, your Longan tree (Dimocarpus longan, Sapindaceae) has not branched. What is falling off are individual compound leaves, each one composed of multiple leaflets on a rachis.

Longan is a tropical fruit tree that wants full sun (or the artificial light equivalent), regular water with good drainage, year-round warm temperatures and readily available nutrients (fertilizer). It also needs to be fairly good-sized before it will produce a fruit crop.

This tree is almost certainly not getting enough light. The tree is etiolating. The stem is elongating reaching towards the light and leaves lower on the plant wherw there is even less light are being dropped. This may happen in nature in a forest as young seedling tries to grow taller to reach sunlight, but it something that should be avoided if one is cultivating a fruit tree.

You need to increase the amount of light your tree is receiving. Artificial light is not the easiest or most inexpensive way to do this. Is there a south-facing window you can grow your tree in.

What are your long-term intentions for your longan? Do you eventually hope to plant it outside and get a fruit crop, or are you growing it as a houseplant or for scientific curiosity?

 

[Biocellguy]

Thank you for your reply.

During the summer, I have put it outside facing South/Southwest, but nothing has changed. I have read to possibly augment the soil with composted manure. I did not do it yet until I hear from others.

As for the future, many university extensions have said longan can be grown in a pot and produce fruit.

 

[Marck]

Certainly do fertilize your tree with a complete fertilizer. Using composted manure in a container is a possibility but usually for both convenience and drainage concerns, a liquid or pelleted fertilizer is preferred.

I have no doubt that a longan can produce some fruit in a container, proportional to its overall size, but only when light, temperature, and other requirements are adequate to do so.

Even if the plant is being grown in adequate light it might not be stimulated to branch if it is growing taller. If you are hoping to have the longan branch before it otherwise would, you may need to pinch out the terminal bud. This is a common procedure, but you do want the plant to be healthy and vigorous when attempting this.