The litchi was already known 2000 years BC. It appears in the literature of the HAN Dynasty ( 140-86 BC) and many poems and works of art show the importance of this fruit in the Chinese people's daily life.

Litchi comes primarily from the South of China. It is a subtropical tree with a thick foliage and has, in some cases, a lifespan of around 800 years .

There are many varieties of litchis with Asian names such as Taï-so, Vaï-Coc, No-Maï-Chee, but is mainly known and marketed as “litchi”.

Some sources are now becoming variety specific for export, for example Mauritius , Kwai-Mi or Maclean, with Mauritius being the most commonly marketed.

The key source countries for this fruit are China , Thailand , Madagascar , Mauritius and Reunion; but also South Africa , Israel , Spain and Florida .