Pineapple Spike Longan

Pineapple Spike Longan

　　Pineapple Spike: A fresh-eating variety unique to Xiangqiao Township in Tong’an County. Its tree shape resembles that of the Shuizhang variety, with fruit clusters reaching up to half a meter in length. The fruits are medium-sized, uniform and attractive in appearance, with thin skin, thick and crisp flesh, and a sweet, pleasant taste — making them best enjoyed fresh. This variety adapts well to different conditions, yields abundantly and consistently, and stands out among all longan cultivars. It holds great potential for further promotion as a fresh-eating longan.

　　Tong’an Pineapple Spike Longan is a specialty of Tong’an District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province. Tong’an “Pineapple Spike” longan is deeply loved by consumers for its thick, translucent flesh, soft texture, small seed, bright red color, sweet taste, minimal residue, and dual use both as a medicinal ingredient and tea snack. Tong’an Pineapple Spike Longan is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Longan has a long cultivation history and rich varietal resources in Tong’an District, Xiamen City, with nearly 50 recorded varieties and strains. The current cultivation area spans 90,000 mu, yielding 25,000 tons of fresh fruit annually. Longan production plays a pivotal role in Tong’an’s agricultural economy, earning its place as one of China’s six major longan production bases. Currently, the main variety promoted in Tong’an is “Pineapple Spike,” with main planting bases located in Houxi Town, Jimei District, as well as Lianhua, Hongtang, Wuxian, and Tingxi towns in Tong’an. The cultivation area covers 30,000 mu, with an annual output of around 10,000 tons of fresh fruit. The “Pineapple Spike” longan can produce clusters up to 50 cm long, with medium-sized, uniform and attractive fruits, thin skin, thick and crisp flesh, and a sweet, pleasant taste — making it best enjoyed fresh.

　　Tong’an “Pineapple Spike” Longan is a renowned fruit of Tong’an District, Xiamen City. Originally cultivated in Manyan Natural Village, Xitang Village, Xinmin Town, Tong’an District, Xiamen City, its history dates back over 100 years. It was discovered and developed by the Tong’an District Agricultural Technology Extension Center during a district-wide longan varietal resource survey in 1980. The “Pineapple Spike” longan exhibits excellent varietal traits such as resistance to “flushing shoots,” high and stable yields, superior fruit quality, and slow post-maturity sugar reduction. Coupled with Tong’an District’s high-grafting techniques, “Pineapple Spike” longan has been widely promoted, covering a cultivation area of 36,000 mu by 2012, making it the dominant longan variety in the district. In 2007, it passed the variety certification in Fujian Province, and in 2010, it received technological achievement appraisal from Xiamen City. In 2011, the project was awarded the Xiamen Science and Technology Progress Second Prize.