Definition
Lychee is a small tropical fruit from southern China with a bumpy red shell and juicy white flesh that tastes floral, sweet and lightly rose-like.
Lychee (also spelled litchi) is a small tropical fruit from the soapberry family, native to southern China. It has a thin, bumpy red shell that peels away to reveal translucent white flesh around a single glossy seed, and its flavor is famously floral, sweet and juicy.
A fruit with a long history
Lychee has been cultivated in China for more than two thousand years. Classical stories tell of emperors sending relay riders to rush fresh lychees to the palace, because the fruit spoils quickly once picked. Today it is grown across Southeast Asia, India, and warm parts of the Americas, with a short summer season.
What lychee tastes like
Fresh lychee tastes like a blend of grape, pear and rose, with a clean, perfumed finish. It is sweet without being heavy, which is why it is popular in bubble tea, sorbets, cocktails and Asian desserts. Canned and dried lychees taste sweeter and less floral than fresh.
Lychee at Polkadot
Two vegan gummies feature this fruit:
- Polkadot Lychee Gummies: a pure, delicate lychee flavor made with pectin and real lychee essence.
- Polkadot Lychee Peachy Craft Gummies: lychee paired with lush peach for a rounder, juicier profile, part of the Craft Gummies line.
Both belong to the Polkadot Vegan Magic Gummies collection and are $27.50 each.
Which one to choose
If you love the perfumed taste of fresh lychee, pick the classic Lychee Gummies. If you prefer something fruitier and more familiar, the peach in Lychee Peachy softens the floral notes. Fans of lychee often enjoy other Asian-inspired fruit flavors too, such as Hokkaido Melon and Tokyo Grape.
Fun fact
Lychee's aroma shares some of the same fragrant compounds found in roses, which is why many people describe it as "floral" rather than simply "fruity."
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