Litchi Chinensis ‘Kway May Pink’

Description

The lychee (Litchi chinensis) is an evergreen tree, up to 30 m high with a dense, broad crown.

The tropical fruit is mainly imported from Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa, Israel, and Asia. The supply runs throughout the year, with a maximum in the period from the end of December to the end of February. This fruit is related to the rambutan (less juicy and sweet, firmer), the kapulasan, the korlan, the knippa, the pitomba, longan and the aki. These fruits belong to the soap tree family (Sapindaceae) The origin of the lychee lies in China.

The lychee is a round or oval-shaped fruit of 3 to 5 cm in diameter, with a striking red skin. This one feels slightly leathery and slightly puckered. The flesh, the seed coat, is glassy white, of firm structure, and in the middle there is an elongated brown stone. The fruit has a juicy (spicy) sweet taste, comparable to the Muscat grape, and ‘cracks’ slightly when chewed.

Lychees change colour from pinkish-red to reddish-brown during the ripening process. They are picked ripe and can be eaten immediately. The hard skin of the lychee breaks under the pressure of a finger and/or nail and can then be removed from the flesh.