Lechang Water Chestnuts

Lechang Water Chestnuts

Lechang water chestnuts are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Lechang has long been known as the “Hometown of Water Chestnuts.” Water chestnuts are one of the region’s major local specialties, with over 10,000 acres under cultivation and an annual output exceeding 10,000 tons. The main production areas are Lecheng and Beixiang, with additional planting in towns such as Langtian, Henan, Changlai, and Jiufeng. Lechang water chestnuts are famous for being large, tender, sweet, juicy, and crisp with no residue, making them highly sought after in provincial, Hong Kong, and Macau markets. The highest-quality water chestnuts come from the 150-acre Tian Dong production area in Lecheng, yielding about 240 tons. During the peak season in late winter and early spring, Lechang’s water chestnut products fill the markets, creating a “Water Chestnut Street” stretching over a kilometer. Merchants flock here from far and wide, packing the street to capacity. While a small portion is sold locally, most Lechang water chestnuts are distributed to other provinces, cities, and enjoy a strong reputation in the Hong Kong and Macau markets. (Lechang)

　　Lechang has nearly a century of history in water chestnut cultivation and is widely known as the “Water Chestnut Capital of China,” with particularly high-quality produce coming from Beixiang Town. According to local villagers, the superior quality of Beixiang water chestnuts is inseparable from the area’s unique environment. Located on the border of northern Guangdong, Lechang enjoys a mid-subtropical monsoon climate, rich in sunlight, heat, and rainfall. During autumn and winter, the area experiences strong sunlight and large diurnal temperature variations. Since water chestnuts begin forming after autumn, cooler nighttime temperatures are essential for developing their signature sweetness and crispness. The region is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and its rivers originate from the spring water of Xikeng Mountain—naturally sweet mountain water that irrigates the water chestnuts, enhancing their inherent sweetness. Beixiang is a sedimentary basin where the paddy fields sit atop 15–20 cm of dark gray, fertile soil underlaid with yellow sandy soil—the ideal growing medium for water chestnuts. This combination results in particularly large fruit.

　　The protected geographical indication area for Beixiang water chestnuts covers the administrative regions of Lecheng Subdistrict, Beixiang Town, and Langtian Town, three towns and subdistricts currently under the jurisdiction of Lechang City, Guangdong Province.