Bombai Litchi Plant - Live Litchi chinensis Fruit Plant for Home Garden, Orchard & Indian Climate

The Bombai Litchi Plant, botanically classified as Litchi chinensis ‘Bombai’, is an important commercial litchi cultivar particularly associated with West Bengal. NHB includes Bombai among the recommended popular litchi cultivars for the state.

Bombai is a vigorous tree, generally reaching around 6–7 metres in height with a broad spreading canopy approximately 7–8 metres across when mature. Its large evergreen leaves create an attractive dense crown.

The cultivar is especially valued for its large fruits. Bombai fruits are generally obliquely heart-shaped, with attractive carmine-red tubercles over a greenish skin background. A distinctive characteristic of this variety is that a tiny undeveloped fruit is often attached near the stalk of the fully developed fruit.

Inside, the fruit contains soft, juicy, greyish-white pulp with a pleasant sweet flavour. NHB reports around 17% TSS, and mature trees under suitable orchard conditions may produce substantial crops.

Bombai is an early-to-mid-season cultivar. In West Bengal it generally reaches maturity during May, although harvest timing varies according to location and seasonal weather.

Litchi performs best where winters are relatively cool and dry enough to induce flowering, followed by warm and humid conditions during fruit development. It prefers deep, fertile, well-draining soil and regular moisture but should not remain permanently waterlogged. NHB recommends well-drained loam with a pH of approximately 5.5–7.0.

Because Bombai is a named cultivar, buyers should ideally receive vegetatively propagated planting material rather than seedlings. Seed-grown litchi has a long juvenile period and may not reproduce the cultivar true to type. NHB specifically recommends genuine vegetatively propagated material for commercial litchi varieties.

During winter, Litchi benefits from relatively cool and comparatively dry conditions that help support flower-bud formation. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer and unnecessary heavy irrigation during this period. Mature trees may begin preparing flower panicles toward late winter.
During late winter and early spring, flowering begins. Maintain moderate soil moisture but avoid excessive watering or prolonged rain exposure where possible. Avoid pruning once flower panicles have developed, and encourage pollinator activity around the tree.
During spring, fruit set and fruit development become active. Maintain consistent moisture and prevent severe drought stress. Hot, dry winds should be avoided because they can contribute to fruit cracking and poor development.
During May, Bombai Litchi typically approaches harvest maturity in West Bengal. Fruits should be harvested when properly coloured and mature because litchi does not continue to ripen properly after harvest.
During the monsoon season, vigorous vegetative growth occurs after harvest. Apply compost or balanced nutrition as appropriate, ensure good drainage and remove damaged growth. Avoid prolonged waterlogging around the roots.
During autumn, allow new shoots to mature properly. Avoid stimulating excessive tender growth late in the season, as mature shoots are important for the following flowering cycle.