How to grow Pulasan

Pulasan grow and care – tree of the genus Nephelium also known as Kapulasan, Pulasan perennial evergreen rarely become semi-deciduous plant and grow in tropic climate and growing in hardiness zone 11+

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Flower color are white the size 1-2 mm the flowers are separate to female and male flowers on separate trees,

Pulasan fruits

Fruit are cover with thick skin with hard spines, color of the skin red, that pilled easily the flesh is white with special structure remind little bit onion, some cultivar are easy to take off the seeds, the fruit taste remind the Lychee fruits,

Seeds are edible and taste look like almonds

Pulasan for sale – Seeds or Plants to Buy

How to grow Pulasan growing, care and cultivation:

2 trees: female and male, high humidity, frost free

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seeds – explanation bellow / Vegetative Reproduction – air layers and cutting

Is it necessary to graft in Pulasan?
No, but recommend grafting two different clutivars on the same plant male and female on the same tree

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Sensitive to winds

Planting season:
Spring, summer, autumn (hardiness zone 10b-11 only in the spring from tree)

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, ants, termite

Pruning season:
Autumn / Winter

How to prune:
Dead and week branches

Size of the plant?
4-8 m, 12-24 feet

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing, in the beginning it’s slowly and takes the tree few years before start to grow faster

Water requirement:
Big amount of water, keep the soil moist, high humidity

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers:
No

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Winter – Spring

General information about the flower:
Flower color are white the size 1-2 mm the flowers are separate to female and male flowers on separate trees

Pollination is done by:
Bees, flies

Edible fruits

Fruit harvest season:
Spring / Summer

Fruits pests or diseases:
Aphids

What can be done with big quantities of Pulasan fruits?
Eaten raw, jelly, jams, alcohol

Uses for Pulasan seeds:
Eaten raw, roasted

Work requirements on the fruit:
Not something special

How long does it take to bear fruit?
4-5 years

Ripening of fruit:
Can be taken before it’s fully ripen

Pulasan from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Need fresh seeds less than 5 days old, every day that pass reduce chances of germination

Saving seeds until sowing:
When can’t sow it directly need to put the seeds with well moist peat soil in close transparent nylon bag

Sowing season:
Directly after the fruits

Planting spacing:
Better in separate pots

Depth of Sowing:
2-4cm (~1-2 inches)

Conditions for seeds germinate:
High humidity, sunny location, warm weather

Watering requires for Seeds:
Big amount of water with moist soil (never let it dry) high humidity

Germination time:
3-7 days

Condition of seedling:
Protect from winds very sensitive to when the plant young

Scientific name:

Nephelium mutabile

Alternative names: Kapulasan tree, Bulala tree, Philosan

How to grow Pulasan

Growing Pulasan tree

Pulasan fruits

harvest Pulasan fruits

Categories

Blooming Seasons
  • Spring flowers
  • Winter flowers
Edible Parts
  • Edible Fruit
  • Edible Seeds
Culinary uses
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Dried fruit
  • Eaten raw
  • Fruit
  • Ice pop & Ice cream plants
  • Jams
  • Juice
Flower colors
  • White flower
Climate
  • Tropics Climate
Harvest Season
  • Spring Harvest
  • Summer Harvest
Leaf color
  • Red leaves
Ornamental parts
  • Ornamental fruit
  • Ornamental leaves
  • Ornamental plant
Plant growing speed
  • Average growing plants
Plant life-form
  • Evergreen
  • Perennial plant
  • Tree
Plant Uses
  • Colored leaves
  • Edible plants
  • Ornamental plants
Planting Season
  • Autumn Planting
  • Spring Planting
  • Summer planting
Plants sun exposure
  • Full sun Plants
Watering plants
  • Big amount of water
Hardiness zone
  • Hardiness zone 11
  • Hardiness zone 12
  • Hardiness zone 13

Growing in Pots, Balconies & Indoors

Pulasan (Nephelium mutabile) is a tropical fruit tree reaching 4-8 m (12-24 ft), so it is not a houseplant and, as the grower notes, not suited to long-term container life. You can keep a young seedling in a large pot for a few years, but it needs full sun, steady warmth, high humidity and constant moisture, and will eventually want the open ground in a frost-free climate.

Quick Details

  • Container Size: Only a large tub while young; it ultimately needs open ground
  • Indoor Suitability: Not a houseplant – a full-sun tropical tree
  • Best Spot: Full sun, warm and humid, outdoors
  • Soil & Drainage: Rich, moisture-retentive but free-draining mix
  • Watering in Pots: Big amount of water – keep the soil constantly moist, never dry

Indoors & On the Windowsill

  • Not a houseplant: The grower confirms it will not grow indoors; it is a large full-sun fruit tree.
  • Why: Indoor light is far too weak for a fruiting tropical tree, and it quickly outgrows any room.

On a Balcony or Patio

  • Light, wind & heat: Give it the brightest spot it will tolerate; walls and railings reflect heat and dry pots quickly, so check moisture often and shelter or stake exposed growth.
  • While young only: A young tree can stand on a warm, sheltered, sunny patio, but protect it from wind (it is wind-sensitive) and never let the pot dry out.

Choosing the Pot, Soil & Long-Term Care

  • Pot & drainage: Only a large tub suits a young tree; it will outgrow any pot within a few years. Use strong drainage holes and skip a standing-water saucer to avoid root rot. Terracotta breathes and dries faster; glazed or plastic holds moisture longer.
  • Potting mix: A well-aerated, organic-rich mix – potting soil or peat/coir with perlite or vermiculite for free drainage.
  • Feeding: Potted plants use up their soil faster as nutrients leach out with watering – feed lightly and regularly through the growing season.
  • Long term: Plan to move it to open ground in a frost-free spot – it cannot stay potted for life.

Bloom & Flower Guide

Quick Details

  • Bloom Season: Winter to spring
  • Flower Appearance: Tiny (1-2 mm) white flowers; trees are either male or female
  • Edibility: The flowers are not eaten — this rambutan relative is grown for its fruit

Detailed Blooming Overview

Pulasan flowers are small and quiet — tiny white blooms, just a millimetre or two across, carried in sprays in winter to spring. The plant is dioecious, meaning individual trees bear either male or female flowers, so you need both nearby for fruit to set. Bees and flies carry the pollen between them.

Flower Characteristics

  • Very small white flowers, about 1-2 mm.
  • Male and female flowers are borne on separate trees.
  • Carried in sprays.

Bloom Care & Thinning

  • Pollination: Plant male and female trees near each other so the flowers can cross-pollinate and set fruit.
  • Helpers: Bees and flies do the pollinating — leave the flowers undisturbed while they work.