Fruit
Dimocarpus longan
S tier
Dimocarpus longan is longan—“dragon eye” fruit of the soapberry family—small tan shells cracking to translucent white flesh around a glossy black-brown seed. Flavour is sweetly floral, milder and musky-different from lychee, with a drying finish. Clusters hang on subtropical trees across southern China and Southeast Asia. Eat fresh chilled; dry for traditional dark, smoky-sweet dried longan used in teas and desserts. Canned in syrup for export. Avoid seed (inedible). Shell when ready to eat—peeled fruit oxidises and weeps. Season peaks make night-market bags irresistible.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Southern Chinese cultivation established longan as a classic fruit tree.
Dried longan entered materia medica and dessert traditions.
Southeast Asian orchards expanded commercial longan production.
Fresh airfreight and canned longan supplied global Asian markets.