Rambutan Tree: Find out where to find it and how to care for it!

Have you heard of the Rambutan tree? Learn more about this species considered somewhat exotic and how to care for a Rambutan tree at home.

Today we will learn more about rambutan, a plant that, as exotic as it may seem, may be more common than you imagine and you will know everything you need to know about where to find it and how to grow it at home.

For all those who are passionate about plants, it is very common to always be looking for new species to plant in your garden or even new fruits to be able to grow and have fresh fruit at your fingertips, right?

And it is very common for all these people to be enchanted when they see new species and especially species that have such exotic beauty that they can bring an extra touch to any environment they are in.

One of the most beautiful and exotic plants we have is the Rambutan tree, which is an extremely decorative plant in addition to producing fruits that go well with many recipes.

And despite being a plant with a very exotic appearance, it is more common than we might imagine, but for people who are thinking about having one at home, it is important to follow some steps so that the tree grows healthily and can bear good fruit in the future.

And that's what we'll talk about in today's text. In addition to showing you a little more about this interesting plant, we'll show you where you can find one if you're interested in having one and also what you should do to make it grow healthily and even a recipe that you can make with the rambutan fruit.

What is Rambutan?

You may have even seen a rambutan tree around, but you didn't know what it was called or what this fruit was used for or how to take care of one.

The rambutan tree is a fruit plant that looks a lot like the lychee, from its exotic appearance to the taste of the fruit, but in the case of the rambutan, it has more health benefits than the lychee.

It is also one of the fruits with the highest amount of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, surpassing almost all other fruits, losing only to the pomegranate.

The fruit comes from a tree called rambutan and is native to Malaysia. This tree can reach up to 10 meters in height, with a minimum height of 6 meters (if the tree is healthy and well cared for).

It is a plant that likes warm places, so it will not grow healthily in places with lower temperatures, to be more exact, it is a tree that does not like temperatures below 16º C.

In Brazil, the highest concentrations of rambutan in Brazil are in Pará and Bahia, as these are states that have high temperatures throughout the year, but it is possible to find it in some other states, mainly in the Northeast and North.

The fruit can be called rambutan, rambutã or rambutão and its skin is formed by a soft red fuzz that is easily removed with a knife and the inspiration for its name comes from Malay and means “hairy”.

Where can we find a rambutan tree?

As it is a fairly common tree, rambutan can be easily found at wholesalers that focus on agriculture.

As it has the largest concentration in Bahia and Pará, most of the plant shipments come from these states, mainly Ituberá and Ilhéus in Bahia and Tomé-Açu in Pará.

It is also possible to find the tree at CEAGESP in most cities, as it is the largest distributor of seeds, plants and flowers in Brazil, so you can go to the one in your city or the nearest city or even buy it online.

It is possible to find seeds at any time of the year, but it is more common to find them in the months of November to March, as these are the months when they can be most prosperous in cultivation.

What care is needed to grow a rambutan plant?

And now that you know how easy it is to find rambutan seeds and what harm the fruit can cause, you must be wondering what care is needed when growing and caring for the tree. There really are some specific precautions for it, and we will tell you all about them now.

Good drainage

One of the main things you should know if you want to plant rambutan in your home is that it needs excellent drainage and the soil must be very deep, as this helps the plant to enrich itself with organic matter, helping it to grow healthily. 

The appropriate depth is at least 8 centimeters, reaching up to 10 centimeters and there must be a distance of at least 60 centimeters from both the front and back, as well as from the sides.

Hot weather

As we said above, rambutan is not a plant that likes cold climates, but rather hot climates, so you need to understand the climate where you live.

If you live in colder regions like the South, it is important to know that you will not have much success unless your city is warmer, so pay attention to that.

Fertilization

Fertilizing the plant is also important. You need to make the fertilizer from organic materials and have phosphorus-based fertilizer and then add the fertilizer to the soil so that it responds to the seed. 

Harvest

The plant is harvested between the months of March, August and October, so it is important that you plant the tree in the warmer months, but when it is big enough to bear fruit, it will be in those months.

Recipe with rambutan

As we also mentioned, rambutan has many properties rich in vitamins, iron and anti-inflammatories and did you know that you can make recipes with it? You can even make alcoholic recipes for friends' parties and we decided to bring you a rambutan caipirinha recipe.

Ingredients

½ Tahiti lemon

½ pink lemon

2 dessert spoons of sugar

4 rambutans

70 ml of silver cachaça

Ice to taste

Preparation method

Take a long glass and peel the rambutans, then add sugar and mash well and then peel the lemons, but leave some of the peel showing, remove the core and set aside.

Add the lemons with the lid facing up and add the other spoon of sugar, then crush again, add the ice and cachaça and it is ready to serve.

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