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Rambutan

Nephelium lappaceum

A lychee cousin whose red or yellow fruit is covered in soft, hair-like spines. The sweet, juicy flesh is a favorite across Southeast Asia, but the tree needs a hot, humid, truly tropical climate.

Tree facts

Scientific name
Nephelium lappaceum
Origin
Malaysia and Indonesia
Tree size
30–50 ft if left alone; can be kept at 15–20 ft
Growth rate
Medium
Sun
Full sun; young trees like some shade
Soil
Deep, rich, slightly acidic soil that stays moist but drains well
Soil pH
4.5–6.5
Pollination
Trees can be male, female or bisexual. Grafted bisexual cultivars fruit alone; seedlings often need a pollinator.
Cold hardiness
Very cold-sensitive: growth stalls below about 50°F and trees are hurt well before frost
USDA zones
11 (10b in sheltered, humid spots)
Years to first fruit
3–5 for a grafted tree; 5–7 from seed
Season
Aug–Dec
Water
About every 5 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young
Feeding
About every 90 days, Mar–Sep
Pruning
Jan–Feb
Taste
Sweet and juicy with a mild tartness, similar to lychee but less floral
Nutrition
Good source of vitamin C, with some fiber and copper

Is rambutan safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

  • Ripe flesh, raw or canned

Toxic parts and cautions

  • Take care: Don't eat the raw seed. It contains saponins and other compounds and is considered toxic raw; in some cultivars a papery seed coat sticks to the flesh and should be removed.
  • Good to know: The slippery flesh and seed are a choking hazard for small children.

Pets: A little peeled, seeded ripe flesh is fine for dogs. Keep seeds and skins away from pets.

How to eat and enjoy rambutan

  • Fresh, twisted open by hand
  • Chilled in fruit salads
  • Canned in syrup or stuffed with pineapple (Thailand)
  • Sorbet and cocktails

When it's ripe

Rambutans don't ripen after picking. Pick clusters when the skin is fully red (or yellow for yellow cultivars) and the spines are still fresh, then taste one to check.

Storing it

Refrigerate in a perforated bag for up to a week; the spines darken fast but the flesh stays good. Peeled, seeded flesh freezes well.

Rambutan varieties (6)

  • Binjai

    A popular Indonesian rambutan with large, bright red fruit and sweet, juicy flesh.

    Origin: Indonesia · Taste: Sweet, juicy · Size: Large

  • Jitlee

    A Southeast Asian rambutan with dark red fruit and sweet flesh.

    Origin: Singapore · Taste: Sweet

  • Lebak Bulus · also Lebakbulus

    An Indonesian rambutan with large fruit and juicy, sweet flesh.

    Origin: Indonesia · Taste: Sweet, juicy · Size: Large

  • Maharlika

    A Philippine rambutan selection with red fruit and sweet flesh.

    Origin: Philippines · Taste: Sweet

  • Rongrien

    A widely grown Thai rambutan with red fruit and sweet, firm flesh that separates cleanly from the seed.

    Origin: Thailand · Taste: Sweet, crisp

  • Seechompoo · also Si Chompoo

    A Thai rambutan with pinkish-red skin and sweet, crisp flesh.

    Origin: Thailand · Taste: Sweet, crisp

Pests and diseases to watch for

  • Scale insects

    Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

    What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

  • Mealybugs

    White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

    What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

  • Aphids

    Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

    What to do: Spray off with water.

  • Sooty mold

    Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

    What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

  • Spider mites

    Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

    What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.

Growing rambutans? Let Gardyn keep track.

Gardyn tells you when your rambutan needs water based on your local weather, reminds you to feed and prune in season, and keeps every harvest and photo.

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General guidance, not medical or veterinary advice. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.