The seedless lychee is apparently flavoursome with a similar taste to pineapple, but it took a whole lot of work to grow it.
Mr Dixon told the ABC that he created the seedless lychee by cross-pollinating. He collected pollen from the male part of the lychee flower and transferred it to the female part of the flower of the imported tree to get a small seed. He continued with this process until a seedless lychee grew.
The farmer told news outlets that the next challenge is to grow a crop of trees that produce seedless lychees so it can be distributed commercially within the next few years.
Tibby shared the achievement to the Camilleri’s Farm Market Facebook page on January 7 that they would be providing samples of the lychee to customers.
“We have a unique opportunity for our customers to sample a seedless lychee grown in Sarina by Tibby and Helen Dixon. Come into the shop and purchase a kg bag of regular lychees and be one of the first people in Australia to have a taste of a seedless lychee. They will be available in-store at Macs Truckstop, Balberra while stocks last.”
So, if you happen to be near Balberra, Queensland, it may be worth dropping in!