Rambutan
Rambutan has its origin in South-east Asia. It can now also be found in Central America, the Carribean, Africa and Australia.
Rambutan fruits are usually eaten fresh. It’s easy to first cut the skin of the fruit around the middle with knife. Then half the skin can be easily removed showing the white flesh inside.
Rambutan fruits are easy to recognize. The fruits have spines and a bright red color.
Names
Scientific
Nephelium lappaceum
English
Rambutan
Dutch
Harige lychee
Ramboetan
Spanish
Achotillo
Mamón chino
Rambután
French
Litchi chevelu
Ramboutan
German
Rambutan
Italian
Rambutan
Taxonomy
Genus
Nephelium
Family
Sapindaceae
Order
Sapindales
Basic information and facts
Origin:
South-east Asia
Distribution:
South-east Asia, Central America, Africa , Australia, Carribean.
Evergreen or deciduous:
It is an evergreen tropical tree.
Leaves:
Alternate pinnate leaves with 3-11 leaflets. leaves are 10-30 cm long. Leaflet are 5-15 cm long and 3-10 cm broad.
Fruits:
The fruits are round to oval in shape, 3-6 cm long and 3-4 cm in diameter. The thick leathery skin has a reddish color and has many fleshy soft spines. The firm flesh of the fruit is translucent, whitish or very pale pink. It has a sweet, slightly acidic flavor. The fruit contains one single seed, which is glossy brown and about 2-3 cm long. This seed is poisonous and should not be eaten.
Climate and weather:
Rambutan requires a warm tropical climates. It cannot tolerate temperatures below 10 °C.
Pollination:
Pollinated by insects, especially bees.
Height:
The rambutan tree can become 10-20 meters tall.
Type of soil:
Deep soils that contain a lot of organic matter.
Spacing (close range):
6 meter
Spacing (wide range):
10 meter
Propagation:
Rambutan is propagated by grafting, air-layering, or budding.
Insect pests:
Few pests. Some leaf eating insects. Mealybugs.
Diseases:
Few diseases. Powdery mildew. Stem cancer.
Harvesting:
Many rambutan trees fruit twice a year. They are harvested by hand, cutting the entire fruit cluster from the branch. If individual fruits are picked it is important to cut them off with a piece of stem attached, to avoid damaging the peel. Avoid bruising of the fruits, and store them dry and cool.
Uses:
Rambutan fruits are usually eaten fresh.
Did you know that?
- A rambutan is sweeter and more delicious when it has many ants on its skin.
Crop categories
Fruits
Food crops
Tropical crops
Pictures
Rambutan
Rambutan fruits
Rambutan
