Longan is a perennial evergreen arbor plant, blooming in spring and yielding fruits in summer. Fruits are ball-shaped with shells of light yellow or brown. Its flesh is white and transparent, with plenty of juice and sweet flavor, Longan is one of Lingnan's delicate fruits. Dried longan plus its shell is a kind of medicine for calming and nutritious effects.
     
Originated from China, longan has a plantation history of over 2,000 years. Now it is widely planted in Guangzhou's Baiyun District, Haizhu District, Zengcheng,, Panyu and Huadu. Longan species include Wryuan, Shixia, Shuiyan, and Yuanyan, etc. Shixia's longan planted at Xiaozhou Village of Haizhu District, is the best of its kind. The Shixia Longan is big, high yield and sweet flavor like honey. It was said that the oldest longan tree was grown out of stone crevices. Squeezed by big stones, the roots had no way but plunging deeply into soil and suck the quintessence of the earth. Because of this, its fruits were particularly tasteful, and the longan tree was named as Shixia (stone squeezing).