Lychees from Luofu Mountain

Lychees from Luofu Mountain

Lychees from Luofu Mountain are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Lychees from Luofu Mountain are a specialty of Boluo County, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province. Located on the Tropic of Cancer, Luofu Mountain in Boluo, Guangdong, enjoys a subtropical climate. Blessed with picturesque landscapes, the mountain features thousands of acres of rolling hills and fertile land, creating an ideal natural environment for lychee cultivation. It is one of the country’s most renowned lychee production bases. The county currently has 132,000 mu (about 21,800 acres) of lychee orchards, with an annual output of 26,000 tons. The main varieties include Guiwei, Nuomici, Feizixiao, and Wozi. Boluo is recognized as one of the “Top Ten Lychee Industry Counties in China.” Luofu Mountain lychees have also been awarded the title of “China Famous Fruit,” and are a “Well-Known Trademark and Quality Product of Huizhou City” and a “Famous Trademark of Guangdong Province.”

　　Varieties of Luofu Mountain Lychees

　　Guiwei

　　Guiwei is the leading lychee variety in Boluo, accounting for 60% of the county’s total lychee production. Guiwei lychees are known for their thick flesh, small seeds, sweet and refreshing taste, and juicy texture. Their fruit color is uniquely bright. The peel is bright red with a distinct osmanthus-like fragrance, and most have small seeds. The harvesting period is from mid to late June.

　　Feizixiao

　　The late Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu wrote: “A rider kicks up a cloud of dust, the imperial concubine smiles — none know it’s lychees coming.” The Feizixiao variety gets its name from this poem. Feizixiao lychees are carefully selected and are notable for their large size, plumpness, and striking color contrast—often showing patches of red and green on the same fruit. Despite their overall greenish appearance, they are very sweet with tiny seeds. The flesh is crisp, tender, and juicy, with a mildly sweet flavor and subtle aroma. The harvesting period is from late May to early June.

　　Nuomici

　　Nuomici is the finest among lychee varieties. Also called Mi Zhi and historically known as Crystal Pill, it is a well-known lychee cultivar. This variety features a slightly heart-shaped fruit with an off-center stem, relatively large size, and color ranging from bright red to wax yellow. The skin is not very rough, and the flesh is milky white, semi-transparent, thick, tender, and extremely sweet, with small and slender seeds. It has a naturally high sugar content and contains various essential amino acids, trace elements, and vitamins, making it highly nutritious. It is a rare and premium fruit of Lingnan. The harvesting period is from mid to late June.

　　Wozi

　　Wozi, also known as Huai Zhi, is of medium size with soft, smooth texture, juicy flesh, sweet taste, and large, full seeds. The harvesting period is from mid to late June to mid-July.

　　Shuijing Qiu

　　Shuijing Qiu (Crystal Ball) has crisp, sweet flesh that is transparent in color, with very small seeds. It is a premium variety with centuries of cultivation history. Chen Ding's "Lychee Tales" describes Shuijing Qiu as having “white flowers, white shells, white flesh, white seeds, and juice as red as blood, with a sweet taste and fragrance that refreshes the lungs.” The harvesting period is from mid to late July.

　　Hei Ye

　　Hei Ye fruit is oval or slightly heart-shaped, medium in size, dark red in color, with thin shells. Its surface has flat and blunt cracking patterns, with clear fissures and seams. The seeds are relatively large, making it suitable for canning. The harvesting period is in mid-June.

　　Su Dongpo and Luofu Mountain Lychees

　　Lychees from Luofu Mountain are a premium fruit of Lingnan, renowned as the “King of Fruits.” When Su Shi was exiled to Huizhou, he wrote: “Four seasons of spring lie beneath Luofu Mountain; loquats and bayberries ripen in succession. I’d be content to eat three hundred lychees a day and never mind staying a Lingnan man forever.”

　　The current administrative region of Boluo County, Guangdong Province.