Have you ever tried longan, a fruit with a brittle brown shell and white juicy flesh? Once the Chinese emperors' preferred fruit in ancient times, it is usually eaten fresh and can be used to make fruit wine or sun-dried to make medicine and soup.
The fruit is also called 'Eyes of the Dragon' among Chinese people. This is because in ancient days, the fruit was presented to the emperors who were associated with dragons.
Longan trees are evergreen trees from Southern China. They can be found in the New Territories, in places such as Lam Tsuen, Sheung Shui, Fanling and Sai Kung. They can also be seen in Cheung Kong Park and Chater Garden in Central.
Longan trees have rough bark and can grow to a height of 14 metres. Their yellowish white, fragrant flowers are in full bloom in April.
Some craftspeople use Longan trees' hard wood to make ships and furniture. To learn more about Longan trees, click here.
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