All You Need To Know About Longans
Longans are a historic fruit that has been thriving in the warm climatic tropics, and it's native to the Asian countries. Other nations slowly began planting these fruits, and now it's slowly increasing in popularity in Jamaica. This exotic fruit is a powerhouse of sweetness and succulent pulp which keeps you reaching for another. Longans are edible, and their taste is similar to lychees. They are sold as dried fruits, Cannes, or fresh. They have a musky and mildly sweet flavor.
Preferred Areas Of Growth For The Fruit
The origin of longans is Asia, but they grow in many countries nowadays as long as the climate is suitable for their growth. Longan trees grow up to twelve meters high, and their leaves are shiny. At flowering stages, their flowers are yellow or white, and they bear spherical fruits. The fruits are brown, and they cluster on one branch after maturing and ripening. Inside the fruit, the pulp is translucent, and it surrounds' a dark seed.
Longan tree height depends on the suitability of soil and climatic conditions. The exotic, sweet Jamaican fruit does well in sandy soils, and it's affected by frost. It withstands temperatures of up to 40 degrees. From seed the fruit takes approximately 6 years to produce fruit. A mature tree can produce on average 50 to 500 pounds of fruit.
Different Types Or Species Of Longans
These fruits aren't a prevalent on the island as only a few people grow them. Some of the various species of longans found here in Jamaica are:
- Kohala
The Kohala species is common in Florida, and it's a commercial fruit in the area. The fruit has a sweet flavor, and it’s known for the best quality in the industry. It matures early in June or July.
- Vietnamese
The Vietnamese longan fruits are among the ancient and original fruits from Asia. These fruits are now used for commercial and medicinal purposes in the region.
- Common
These subtropical fruits are common in tropical countries, and they largely contribute to the total tropical fruit production globally.
- Hawaiian
The Hawaiian longan fruit is exotic and cultivated for commercial purposes in the region. It's a common industrial crop among the Asian markets, and its competitive fruit is the lychee.
- Diamond River
These longan fruits are common in Thailand, and they bear fruits each year. They are off-season fruits which bear fruits late. These fruits are prone to breaking the limbs; hence they need best maintenance practices.
Uses Of The Longan Fruit
These fruits are succulent, juicy, and sweet. Their peels and the seed aren't consumable.
- The fruit makes tasty Asian soups.
- The fruit is traditional herbal medicine in Asian countries.
- It was used in Vietnam to absorb snake venoms in cases of snake bites.
- The flesh of longans is used as a poison antidote up to date.
- People dry the flesh of longans and consume it as a treatment for insomnia.
- The seeds serve as styptics, and they moderate-heavy sweating.
- The seeds have a saponin element, which helps in shampooing hair.
- The tree of longans is burnt for fuel purposes, and the barks of the fruit can be used for fuel purposes.
Health Benefits of Longans
