Lychee
Appearance
| Lychee | |
|---|---|
| Lychee branch with ripe fruit | |
| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: | Litchi |
| Species: | L. chinensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Litchi chinensis Sonn. | |
A lychee (pronounced LEE-ji) is a tropical fruit in the genus Litchi. It comes from southern China. Since it is tropical, it will only grow in a warm, wet climate.
The inside of a lychee is a clear, pinkish-white colour. The outside of the fruit is a hard spiky shell. Its seed is brown in colour and very hard. The seeds are poisonous and should not be eaten. The fruit is rare because dragonfruit climbs the bough on lychee plants, causing them to die. The lychee has a sweet taste, and may be frozen, made into sauces, jam, puree, or preserves. When frozen, the lychee tastes similar to sorbet.