Guangzhou is a "Land of fruits" with main varieties of litchi, longan, banana, pineapple, papaya and carambola, etc..
Guava
Native to America, guavas were introduced to Guangzhou more than 200 years ago. They are cultivated mainly in Haizhu, and Panyu Districts and in Zengcheng City. There are many different species of guava. The fruit is pear-shaped and pale green or yellow with a strong, characteristic aroma. The guava flesh is sweet and the fruit is commonly eaten raw, though is often prepared as a juice or soft-package drink.
Carambola
Carambolas are one of the primary fruits grown in the Lingnan area. The fruit has a characteristic shape and a golden yellow color. Its skin is a thin membrane while its flesh is crunchy and juicy and has a sweet and sour taste. It contains 10% sugar and is also rich in vitamins A and C. Carambolas ripen around the time of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mangos
Dubbed the "king of tropical fruits", mangos have a juicy and sweet flesh which can be eaten fresh or prepared as a candied fruit or as a juice. Several species of mangos are grown in Guangzhou including the "Xiamao Aromatic Mango", cultivated in Xiamao Village, Shijing Town, Baiyun District. It's a high-quality variety immensely popular in China and abroad. At present, there are only a few Aromatic Mango trees yielding not more than 1000 kilos of fruit per year therefore the fruits are highly prized and expensive.
Black Olives
Black and white olives are specialty products of Zengcheng City. The black olive is one of the "four treasures of Zengcheng" (the other three being the green litchi, Simiao rice, and the herb of sticky adenosma). The black olive is useful inside and out. The flesh can be cured with brine and eaten or pressed to yield olive oil. The olive seeds can be prepared as a dish or as a prized ingredient for dim sum, olive kernels can be carved into various kinds of artistic objec...olive kernel carving having been a highly prized handicraft for more than three centuries.
White Olives
The white olive, grown in Zengcheng, is often made into various fruit snacks, such as the popular liquorice olive, preserved olives, laurel olives and health olives which are soaked in a brine or saccharin solution and mixed with spice and food colorants and processed following a series of special operations.
Bananas
The banana is one of the top four fruits in the Lingnan area and the fourth most extensively cultivated fruit in this area, after orange, litchi and pineapple. China has been growing bananas for more than 2,000 years. The banana fruit is soft and sweet and has a characteristic aroma. It's effective in moisturizing the intestine, facilitating bowel movements, reducing blood pressure, and preventing vascular sclerosis. The plantain banana is one of major fruits grown in Guangzhou.
White Sugarcane
Sugarcane grows in abundance in the Panyu District, nicknamed "Capital of Sugar". Sugarcane is also grown in Tanzhou Town and is the most famous variety offered in the area. It has a white texture, thin skin, crunchy flesh, a plentiful and sweet juice and little fiber. It can be eaten as a fruit and is effective in clearing away internal heat, removing body toxins, and helping produce saliva and quenching thirst.
Longan
Longan is one of the top fruits coming from the Lingnan area. It is native to China and has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. Guangzhou's Baiyun, Haizhu, Zengcheng, Panyu and Huadu Districts grow various species of longan in abundance. Shixia Longan, grown in Xiaozhou Village, Haizhu District is the most famous.
Pawpaw
Pawpaw is one of the top four fruits in the Lingnan area and ranks among the top three herbaceous fruits coming from the tropics and is ranked alongside bananas and pineapples in flavor and popularity. The fruit is also highly palatable and rich in nutrients. It can be eaten raw, stewed or served with various ingredients. Pawpaw fruit stewed with rock sugar is effective in clearing away heart fire, moisturizing the lung, and treating laryngitis and other ailments. Unripe fruit can be soaked in saccharin solution for making vegetable soup or cured with brine to make "salty and sour pawpaw fruit".
Pineapple
Pineapple is one of the top four fruits in the Lingnan area. The tree bears fruit three times a year with those ripening during the period from June to August being the most palatable. Most pineapples are of the Shenwan, Bali or Sarawak species. In recent years, the "sugar heart pineapple" (of the Sarawak species) has been cultivated with great care by Guangzhou farmers and has become the most highly-prized species.
Oranges
Oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit belong to the same family. Oranges are one of the favorite fruits in Guangzhou and are cultivated extensively in the city. As early as the 5th century Guangzhou had many orange and grapefruit orchards. The Washington navel orange in the present-day United States was introduced indirectly from Europe via China.
Litchi
Dubbed the "king of fruits" litchi is a valuable subtropical fruit and is one of the top four fruits in the Lingnan area. In dynastic periods the litchi was a tribute to the imperial court. The fruit has a characteristic shape featuring a skin with a bright red color, and a sweet, translucent white flesh. At present, there are more than 100 varieties of litchi in China over 60 of which can be found in Guangzhou, with the Guiwei and Nuomici being the most palatable.
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