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Rambutan Flower Wikimedia Commons
Sapindaceae

Rambutan Flower

Nephelium lappaceum

Tropical sweetness and exotic abundance.

Family
Sapindaceae
Genus
Nephelium
Native to
Southeast Asia
Bloom season
Spring
Type
evergreen tree
Height
15–25 m
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
deep, fertile, well-drained, acidic
Water
high; consistent tropical rainfall
Hardiness
11–12
Lifespan
60–100 years

Did you know

  • The name 'rambutan' comes from Malay 'rambut' meaning 'hair', referring to the fruit's hairy exterior.
  • Rambutan flowers are tiny and fragrant but appear in enormous panicles of thousands of blooms.
  • Trees are typically male, female, or hermaphrodite — only female and hermaphrodite trees bear fruit.
  • A single mature tree can produce 5,000 to 6,000 fruits per season in good conditions.
  • Bees are essential pollinators; rambutan orchards in Thailand often keep beehives among the trees.

Color meanings

Cream

fruitful generosity

Uses

  • fruit production
  • tropical landscaping
  • shade tree
  • bee forage