Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Longan
Dimocarpus longan, commonly known as the longan (/ˈlɒŋɑːn/) and dragon's eye, is a tropical tree species that produces edible fruit. It is one of the better-known tropical members of the soapberry family Sapindaceae, to which the lychee and rambutan also belong. The fruit of the longan is similar to that of the lychee, but is less aromatic in taste.
The longan (from Vietnamese long nhãn or Cantonese lùhng ngáahn 龍眼, literally 'dragon eye'), is so named because the black seed within the shelled fruit creates the appearance of an eyeball. The plant is native to tropical Asia and China.
Depending upon climate and soil type the tree may grow to over 30 metres (100 ft) in height, but it typically stands 9–12 m (30–40 ft) in height and the crown is round. The trunk is 80 cm (2+1⁄2 ft) thick with corky bark. The branches are long and thick, typically drooping.
The leaves are oblong and blunt-tipped, usually 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) wide. The leaves are pinnately compounded and alternate. There are 6 to 9 pairs of leaflets per leaf and the upper surface is wavy and a dark, glossy-green.
The longan tree produces light-yellow inflorescences at the end of branches. The inflorescence is commonly called a panicle; they can be 10–46 cm (4–18 in) long, and widely branched. The small flowers have 5 to 6 sepals and brownish-yellow petals. The flower has a two-lobed pistil and 8 stamen. There are three flower types, distributed throughout the panicle; staminate (functionally male), pistillate (functionally female), and hermaphroditic flowers. Flowering occurs as a progression.
The fruit are spherical and about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide; they hang in drooping clusters. The shell is tan, thin, and leathery with tiny hairs; when firm, it can be squeezed (as in the cracking of a sunflower seed) to shell the fruit.[citation needed] The flesh is translucent, and the seed is large and black with a circular white spot at the base. This gives the illusion of an eye. The flesh has a musky, sweet taste, which can be compared to the flavor of lychee fruit. The seed is round, hard, and has a lacquered appearance.[citation needed]
The longan tree is somewhat sensitive to frost. While the species prefers temperatures that do not typically fall below 4.5 °C (40 °F), it can withstand brief temperature drops to about −2 °C (28 °F). Longan trees prefer sandy soil with mild levels of acidity and organic matter. Longans usually bear fruit slightly later than lychees.
The longan is believed to originate from the mountain range between Myanmar and southern China. Other reported origins include Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, upper Myanmar, north Thailand, Kampuchea (more commonly known as Cambodia), north Vietnam and New Guinea.
Hub AI
Longan AI simulator
(@Longan_simulator)
Longan
Dimocarpus longan, commonly known as the longan (/ˈlɒŋɑːn/) and dragon's eye, is a tropical tree species that produces edible fruit. It is one of the better-known tropical members of the soapberry family Sapindaceae, to which the lychee and rambutan also belong. The fruit of the longan is similar to that of the lychee, but is less aromatic in taste.
The longan (from Vietnamese long nhãn or Cantonese lùhng ngáahn 龍眼, literally 'dragon eye'), is so named because the black seed within the shelled fruit creates the appearance of an eyeball. The plant is native to tropical Asia and China.
Depending upon climate and soil type the tree may grow to over 30 metres (100 ft) in height, but it typically stands 9–12 m (30–40 ft) in height and the crown is round. The trunk is 80 cm (2+1⁄2 ft) thick with corky bark. The branches are long and thick, typically drooping.
The leaves are oblong and blunt-tipped, usually 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and 5 cm (2 in) wide. The leaves are pinnately compounded and alternate. There are 6 to 9 pairs of leaflets per leaf and the upper surface is wavy and a dark, glossy-green.
The longan tree produces light-yellow inflorescences at the end of branches. The inflorescence is commonly called a panicle; they can be 10–46 cm (4–18 in) long, and widely branched. The small flowers have 5 to 6 sepals and brownish-yellow petals. The flower has a two-lobed pistil and 8 stamen. There are three flower types, distributed throughout the panicle; staminate (functionally male), pistillate (functionally female), and hermaphroditic flowers. Flowering occurs as a progression.
The fruit are spherical and about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide; they hang in drooping clusters. The shell is tan, thin, and leathery with tiny hairs; when firm, it can be squeezed (as in the cracking of a sunflower seed) to shell the fruit.[citation needed] The flesh is translucent, and the seed is large and black with a circular white spot at the base. This gives the illusion of an eye. The flesh has a musky, sweet taste, which can be compared to the flavor of lychee fruit. The seed is round, hard, and has a lacquered appearance.[citation needed]
The longan tree is somewhat sensitive to frost. While the species prefers temperatures that do not typically fall below 4.5 °C (40 °F), it can withstand brief temperature drops to about −2 °C (28 °F). Longan trees prefer sandy soil with mild levels of acidity and organic matter. Longans usually bear fruit slightly later than lychees.
The longan is believed to originate from the mountain range between Myanmar and southern China. Other reported origins include Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, upper Myanmar, north Thailand, Kampuchea (more commonly known as Cambodia), north Vietnam and New Guinea.