When to Plant Longan in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
What this month normally looks like in Arid / Semi-Arid
In October the Arid / Semi-Arid zone normally runs 32°C by day and 16°C overnight, with about 19 mm of rain over 2 or 3 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was 1.9°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 10 postcodes, SILO.
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This Longan guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Longan is a hardy evergreen relative of lychee, growing 10 to 20 m unpruned or 3 to 4 m kept small, and is more cold and wind tolerant than lychee (Daleys).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Arid / Semi-Arid
Longan is not recommended for Arid / Semi-Arid.
Longan wants high soil moisture and water from flowering to harvest (IFAS). No source shows it grown in an arid garden.
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How to Grow Longan in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Well drained soil with high soil moisture (Daleys). Intolerant of salt (IFAS).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun with wind protection for young trees (Daleys review).
- Keep away from
- Salty soil or bore water (IFAS), Windy exposed sites for young trees (Daleys review)
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Longan
Key Challenges
- Dry air and soil
Pests and problems for Longan in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Longan
When ready: Skin turns yellow brown to tan and the flesh tastes sweet; fruit does not sweeten after picking (Daleys; IFAS).
How to harvest: Cut whole panicles with secateurs and keep the fruit on the stem (IFAS).
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Longan
When do you plant longan in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Longan in Alice Springs?
Longan wants high soil moisture and water from flowering to harvest (IFAS). No source shows it grown in an arid garden.
How do I know when Longan are ready to harvest?
Skin turns yellow brown to tan and the flesh tastes sweet; fruit does not sweeten after picking (Daleys; IFAS).
Are longan salt tolerant?
No. Longan are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.