Lychee, Litchi chinensis, is the rough-skinned pink fruit with sweet, translucent white flesh that floods Indian markets in May and June. Muzaffarpur in Bihar is India’s lychee capital, and its Shahi litchi has a geographical indication tag. Eating many unripe lychees on an empty stomach has been linked to a deadly brain illness in undernourished children, so the fruit needs some care.
- Botanical name
- Litchi chinensis Sonn.
- Family
- Sapindaceae
- Tamil
- Litchi
- Hindi
- Litchi
- Parts used
- Ripe aril
- Habit
- Lychee; longan and rambutan are cousins, not this fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Lychee
It is a dense, rounded evergreen tree with pinnate leaves of glossy, pointed leaflets. New leaves flush red.
Small greenish-yellow flowers grow in large sprays at the branch tips.
The fruit is round, with a thin, bumpy, red to pink rind that turns brown after picking.
Inside, white, juicy flesh (the aril) surrounds a single shiny brown seed. Longan has smooth brown skin, and rambutan has hairy skin.
Traditional use of Lychee
Kitchen
Lychees are eaten fresh, canned, made into juice and squash, and dried.
Indian and Chinese food practice
Chinese history
Lychees were prized in imperial China, carried by fast horse relay to the court.
Chinese history
Modern notes on Lychee
Studies in Muzaffarpur, including a 2017 investigation, linked outbreaks of acute encephalopathy in children to eating lychees, especially unripe ones, without an evening meal. The fruit contains toxins that block glucose production.
Health officials now advise that children eat lychees only after a proper meal and avoid unripe fruit.
Lychee safety
Children should eat ripe lychees in moderation and never on an empty stomach.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to southern China and needs a cool, dry winter to flower well.
In India it is grown mainly in Bihar, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Bees pollinate its flowers, and lychee honey is a speciality.
Related plants
Also in Sapindaceae
Questions about Lychee
Why are lychees linked to illness?
Unripe fruit eaten on an empty stomach can dangerously lower blood sugar in undernourished children.
Where are the best lychees grown?
Muzaffarpur in Bihar is the best-known area.
Is Lychee longan?
No. Longan is Dimocarpus longan.
Sources
- Litchi chinensis Sonn. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q13182 (Litchi chinensis)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.