An Introduction to the Distribution of Lychee Producing Areas in China and the Characteristics of Representative Varieties in Major Producing Regions

China is the place of origin of the lychee and one of its main cultivating countries, with a cultivation history that can be traced back more than two thousand years. The lychee prefers a warm, humid climate and is sensitive to frost, with poor cold tolerance, so its producing areas are concentrated in parts of South China and Southwest China, showing a very distinct regional character.

Among the main producing areas, Guangdong is the largest lychee-producing region in the country, with Maoming, Huizhou, and the areas of Conghua and Zengcheng in Guangzhou especially concentrated; Qinzhou in Guangxi, Zhangzhou and Putian in Fujian, and the area around Haikou in Hainan are also important producing areas; Hejiang in Sichuan, parts of Yunnan, and southern Taiwan, China produce late-maturing or locally distinctive varieties, and the staggered timing of the various producing areas effectively extends the supply period.

The climatic differences among producing areas have also created a rich tier of varieties. Hainan has abundant heat, so its lychees ripen and reach the market earliest; Guangdong and Guangxi widely grow varieties such as Feizixiao, Baitangying, Guiwei, and Nuomici, among which the Gua Green of Zengcheng in Guangzhou is a well-known rare type; Fujian is known for traditional varieties such as Wuye; the late-maturing lychees of Sichuan and Yunnan can reach the market in the later part of summer, filling the market gap.

When selecting lychees, you can look at the skin and feel them by hand; fruit with good maturity has bright red skin or red with a touch of green, is plump, and has a fresh fragrance. Lychees easily change color and flavor after being removed from the tree, and the ancients long ago said that the color changes in one day, the fragrance changes in two days, and the flavor changes in three days, so producing areas mostly pick in the early morning and then quickly pre-cool and transport under refrigeration. After buying them, it is best to eat them as soon as possible; if short storage is needed, they can be sealed and placed in the refrigerator to preserve their flavor.