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Growing and Fruiting The Langsat in Florida: Damage, But Warm Enough To Seldom Experience Frost. The
Growing and Fruiting The Langsat in Florida: Damage, But Warm Enough To Seldom Experience Frost. The
leaflets 4 inches to 10 inches long by 2 inches to 5 inches usually bear twice a year." (1). The fruit appear in com
wide. The numerous small pale yellow perfect flowers are pact grape-like clusters (Fig. 2), are straw-colored, velvety,
born on racemes that protrude from the trunk and larger round to oval, up to 1 y4 inches in diameter in Florida with
branches. Flowering in Florida occurs in the spring with a thin leathery skin. Inside are five segments varying in
intermittent bloom extending on one variety into early size of juicy, subacid, translucent pulp with one or more
winter. Fruit ripen in late August thru October while in seeds. Usually not all the seeds are fully developed. Sizes of
the variety with prolonged flowering from August thru individual fruit in each bunch frequently vary considerably
April. Whether or not this off-season bearing will continue with the largest locally produced weighing % oz (21 grams).
remains to be seen. In Puerto Rico Kennard and Winters A color photo of a Florida grown langsat fruiting appears on
report langsats in season during September and October the front cover of the Rare Fruit Council International
(3), while Allen in Malaya states "Both langsat and duku 1979 Yearbook. The skin of the fruit contains a white, sticky
bitter latex that can adhere to the mouth and fingers when Talisay, Negros Occ. First bloom appeared on the above
the langsat is eaten. Dipping the ripe fruit bunch in boiling grafted plant in 1976 without fruit set. No further flower
water for a few seconds coagulates the sap and eliminates ing occurred until the spring of 1979, probably due to cold
this problem. The green seeds, if accidentally bitten into, damage during the 1977 January freeze. This second bloom
are extremely bitter. produced a crop of quality fruit that is thought to be of
Two langsat varieties introduced by the writer into superior size and flavor. The tree is presently 18 feet high
South Florida and later fruited in his grove are the 'Concep with an 11 foot spread, growing in full sun.
tion' and the 'Uttaradit'. The 'Conception' was obtained The langsat variety 'Uttaradit' was introduced from
from the Philippine Plant Industry in 1956 as a grafted Thailand in 1957. The variety takes its name from a
plant. In these Asiatic islands the langsat is highly re province N.W. of Bangkok where langsats grow in
garded and goes under the name "lanzone". The scionwood abundance. First fruiting of this marcotted plant occurred
of this Philippine clone was collected from the famous in October 1975 when the partially shaded tree had obtained
sweet variety of lanzones in a barrio named Conception, of a height of 15 feet. This event marked what is thought to
138 Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 93: 1980.
be the first instance of the langsat bearing on the a greenhouse with s/s inch limb diameter or larger are easy
Continental U.S.A. For the last two years the tree has had to root. Regular grafts can be made while approach grafts
a prolonged fruiting season extending from August thru seldom fail. Plants grown from seed should be grafted to
April. One possible explanation for this could be the nearly shorten the length of time required to bear.
complete girdling of the base of the trunk by the 1977 Young plants, in the writer's greenhouse, have been
freeze.
observed to exude a clear, sweet-tasting liquid. This occurs
The langsat can be propagated from seed, cuttings, in areas of rapid growth at the base of developing langsat
marcots and grafts. Seeds soon lose their viability and leaf petioles. Small black nectar-eating ants are attracted to
should be planted as soon as possible. Select and use only this and can become a nuisance. Occasional scale have been
the largest as germination and initial growth rate are re observed on developing fruit of the 'Uttaradit' variety but
lated to seed size. A soil fungicide such as Banrot will not elsewhere on the tree. A corky bark disease appeared
insure better germination and prevent damping off. Cuttings on the trunk and larger limbs (Fig. 3) as the langsat trees
can be rooted under mist or by potting up and covering matured in the writer's grove. This same problem has been
over with clear plastic bags. Short, actively growing tip observed by the writer on langsats grown on Florida's Big
cuttings about 3 inches to 4 inches long are preferred. Pine Key near Key West, on a langsat planted at the Uni
Marcots, especially those taken from pot grown plants in versity of Hawaii Kona Branch Experiment Station on the
Fig. 3. Corky bark disease on langsat thought to be caused by a fungus canker (Cephalosporium sp.). (Photo by Wm. F. Whitman).