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1.16.13

Two pieces of longan fruit with blurred leaves behind them

Superfood Spotlight on: Longan Fruit

What You Should Know: These exotic and translucent little fruits are also called euphoria fruit – and with good reason: longan fruit have long been part of traditional Chinese tonics for anti-aging and sexual health. Longan fruit – not to be confused with logan berries – can be found growing throughout Southeast Asia, but are rare to find in the United States. The best way to get your hands on these superfruits are in the very tonics the Chinese have used for centuries. However, since these strange fruits have the look of peeled grapes and the taste of lychee, your curiosity may get the best of you – and in that case we suggest hunting them down at your city’s Asian market. If you find them in your town – we want to know about it! Pass on your tips below for other readers.

Why You Should Use It: In traditional Chinese medicine, longan fruit are used as a tonic for the heart, to improve eye function, relieve stress and give skin the glow. Women hoping to beautify and boost their sex drive might find this fruit the perfect tonic. As for standard nutritional qualifications, longan fruit’s got that too:  iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium can be found in the fruit, as well as vitamins A and C. Recent studies have also identified gallic acid, corilagin and ellagic acid in the fruit, which may bolster the fruit’s reputation as a health-boosting superfruit .

Let’s Get Together: We love Ron Teegarden’s Dragon Herbs for their tonic herbal formulas. If you can make it in to one of their tea and tonic bars their educated staff can help in pin-pointing herbal formulas just for you. A beautifying longan fruit tonic we love is Dragon Herbs’ Magu’s Secret. The herbs cleanse the blood, harmonize hormones and enrich the skin. For other herbal tonics that include longan fruit see the list in Dragon Herbs online shop here.

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Comments


  1. that’s one of my mom’s favorite fruit. she’ll make sure to grab some if she finds any while traveling. didn’t know you could find them out here.

    hazel | 01.17.2013 | Reply
  2. They usually carry these at the Dekalb Farmers Market in East Atlanta. Grown in Florida I believe.

    Lizzy | 05.21.2013 | Reply
  3. The markets in Chinatown, Boston have them. I would like to know how to tell when they’re fresh, though! Sometimes after you peel them, there’s a little spot of unappetizing gray “stuff” stuck to the pit, where the stem used to connect.

  4. I’m a certified arborist in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and today I just saw tow 20 ft. high longan fruit trees in front of a home owned by an Asian family. I thought it was a mango tree at first but saw the fruit and just had to know what it was. Thought at first it was litchi nut, but they told me what it was and I looked it up and it checked out. The Asian family must have planted the “dragon eye” fruit trees themselves. Grows very healthy here in this climate and sandy soil. Cracked and tasted some of the fruit. Very mild taste, barely sweet. Similar in texture the inside of a white grape, but not as sweet. Beautiful trees with dark green leaves between 4″ to 7″, not dissimilar to mango leaves.

    Bob G. | 06.22.2013 | Reply
  5. I recently went to my local Chinese market in Brooklyn, I was looking for lychee but they had this fruit instead. I purchased it for about $6.99lb and I also got my hands on some dragon fruit. Both make good shakes 🙂

    Alma | 06.23.2013 | Reply
  6. It is available in south Florida, farmers market in Hollywood and also in homestead

    Angela | 07.28.2013 | Reply
  7. Easy to find in Calgary, Alberta. T&T markets sells them and a few street vendors in china town as well

    Tyler | 08.14.2013 | Reply
  8. Got a bunch today at Uwajimaya Asian Supermarket in Beaverton Oregon

    Jenn | 08.21.2013 | Reply
  9. Just found them at whole foods in Plantation.

    Heather | 09.12.2013 | Reply
  10. Found them at Food Basics ,Niagara Area,Ontario,Canada.Tried them at the Manadarin during Moon festival .Waitress said to get them in China town in Toronto.lucked out at a Food Basics!so delicious

    Tracey | 09.22.2013 | Reply
  11. We have a Tai market in Burnsville MN, where I bought them today. The guy that works there said Southern Florida grows them so they are not that rare in the US.

    Jeff | 10.04.2013 | Reply
  12. Fortunate for me, my next door neighbor has a Logan Tree growing next to our joint fense.. The tree extends over the fense into my yard and I have a never ending supply.. He just gave me a lesson on the fruit and what its name is. I googled the name and was surprised to find out about all the benefits this sweet little fruit has to offer… Yayyyyy for me… Try it!!! You will like it!!!

    Cortney | 10.11.2013 | Reply
  13. In Jamaica they call these guineps and I’m psyched to have finally found them in the US! The Newark Farmer’s Market in northern Delaware had them for $2.99/lb alongside some beautiful dragonfruit. Delicious =)

    Laura | 10.23.2013 | Reply
    • Hi Laura – these are actually not guineps – they are longans. Quite different actually. I live in the Cayman Islands & we have both. Grew up eating guineps and only recently discovered longans and I love them. Guineps are green and longans are a light brown. Longans have more substance and comes right off the seed whereas guineps don’t come entirely off the seed. Both delicious fruits.

      Robin | 01.28.2015 | Reply
  14. For the last few weeks, I’ve been buying bunches of longans fresh on the vine from a Farmer’s Market here in Miami. The fruit was grown locally farther south in Homestead. I have to say the longans are sinfully sweet and super-delicious! The merchant said the fruit is near the end of its season, which is why it’s so sweet. Grab some soon before they’re gone!

    Debra | 11.10.2013 | Reply
    • Sinfully sweet and super-delicious…agreed!

      The Chalkboard | 11.13.2013 | Reply
  15. If you find yourself in NE Portland, OR you can find the longan and many more fresh exotic fruit samplings at Thanh Thao Market. Delicious every time!

    Tamara | 11.10.2013 | Reply
  16. Found these awesome little fruits at a produce market in San Francisco! First time having them, they taste exactly like lychee

    janeen | 11.21.2013 | Reply
  17. I have this very tree in my backyard, La Mesa, California. I just posted on Facebook how many tangerines, lemons and oranges I have this year. Plus the longans, but too much trouble to peel and eat. Then I find this article. But how do you eat the damn things? So much work for such little fruit.

    Pat Wright | 12.22.2013 | Reply
    • Recently visited my daughter in Hawaii and she had me try the longan. I love them and was trying to find them somewhere nearby to get them. I found your post and was wondering if you still have the tree and would want to give some up? I live in El Cajon, ca .

      Denise | 11.07.2015 | Reply
  18. Silver lake farmer’s market in California 🙂

    Jessica | 01.14.2014 | Reply
  19. I found them at United Grocery Store in London, Ontario! $3.99/bag

    Meghan | 01.24.2014 | Reply
  20. Found them at H-E-B Plus in San Antonio for $4.99 a pound!

    Madison | 01.31.2014 | Reply
  21. delicious fruit . Got a small bag of them at the Asian Market in Beaverton, Oregon. This one is another other than what was mentioned above. This market is in the mall where Petco, TJ Max and a bunch of other stores are.

    Diana | 02.26.2014 | Reply
  22. Just found/bought these at the local farmer’s market on Wednesday’s on Marco Island, Florida—delicious!!! Loved all your info—-they are tedious to peel and eat, but yum!!

    Bonnie | 02.28.2014 | Reply
  23. I just bought some today at the Dekalb farmers market in east Atlanta. $4.99/lb. As for eating them being tedious, I just pick one our the bunch and put the whole where the stem was in my mouth and squeeze. The sweety flesh and seed pop into your mouth. Then discard the the seed with your tongue. It allot like eating musicales to me.

    Tommy | 04.02.2014 | Reply
  24. Correction: muscadines

    Tommy | 04.02.2014 | Reply
  25. I found them canned on the post road in Orange CT at and oriental store in a place on the post road where they share with the dollar tree. The name escapes me….

    Jackie | 04.21.2014 | Reply
  26. Lee Lee’s Market carries the Dragon Eyes. They are located at Orange Grove Rd. Tucson, Arizona

    Chelina | 04.25.2014 | Reply
  27. I found them in San Diego CA at H-Mart (Korean supermarket) very tasty and very fresh.

    Domitila C. Gonzalez | 04.29.2014 | Reply
  28. I purchased some today from The Garden Asian Market in Middleton, WI (Madison) at $2.99/lb. I had not tried them before, but since they resembled Lychees, which we love, I thought we’d give them a try. Sweeter and kind of nuttier tasting. Quite yummy.

    Andrea | 04.29.2014 | Reply
  29. I just tried the dried variety which I found at Mr Chen’s Restauranta and Asian Market in Tuscaloosa, Al.
    At only $1.39 for a 2.5 oz (70 gram) box, this may be my new go-to snack.
    I had never tried longan in any form before, but I think I’m in love.
    These look and feel like raisins, and there’s this almost molasses-like aftertaste.
    Anyone who likes the flavor of dried figs will love them.

    Sandra J Hunt | 04.29.2014 | Reply
  30. I buy them canned at Loma Linda (California) Market. It is a product of Walong Marketing in Buena Park, CA. They are already peeled, in a light syrup – absolutely delicious and they are $2.00 a can (big can). I go marketing there to get their canned Jackfruit and this was alongside them. I said “what the heck” and bought a can. Now I wish I’d bought a lot more.

    Davilyn Eversz | 06.16.2014 | Reply
    • Tthanks for the tip on where to buy them in your area, Davilyn!

      The Chalkboard | 06.17.2014 | Reply
  31. Grabbed a branch-full from a neighborhood tree thinking “looks like a lychee”. Searched online and here I am. What a great find!!! No need to go to the store!

    John | 07.13.2014 | Reply
  32. These little fruits grow now in Hawaii. I would think that they would be happy in California, parts of Oregon and also in Florida!

    Kanani | 07.14.2014 | Reply
  33. My wife planted a Longnan Tree when we moved in our house 12 years ago. That thing is out of control with the amount of fruit it produces. Only issue is the Squirrels and Crows eat the most of them before my wife can get them.

    RUSS-D | 08.06.2014 | Reply
  34. I forgot to mention that we live on the gulf coast of Florida.

    RUSS-D | 08.06.2014 | Reply
  35. I discovered this fruit while taking a stroll thru my neighborhood in miami shores, florida!! There is a huge tree that is FULL of them and no one knows about it but my family (the tree is on the front lawn of a vacated house :/ )

    melisa | 08.09.2014 | Reply
  36. Thanks for the info! I found them at Hiep Thai, an Asian market in Arlington, TX. They were $3.48/lb and sold in 2 and 10 lb bags. I didn’t realize they were a superfood — I can’t wait to try them.

    Jasmin | 08.09.2014 | Reply
  37. 99 Ranch Market chain carries both Lychee, Longan and many other asian fruits. They have stores in CA, WA and TX.

  38. found the fruit at Joe’s Farm Fresh Market in Oldsmar FL today after someone gave me a few.

  39. I live in Portland and I can find them at Fubonn Shopping Center on 82nd Ave. 🙂 Thanks for the info, it’s good to know!

    Erin | 11.18.2014 | Reply
  40. i have longan on the north shore of oahu hawaii they went off this year. I’m drying them so they can be shipped , making popsicles , and donating to elementary schools for healthy snacks

    lyndee sea | 08.11.2015 | Reply
  41. First time tasting Longan in Port St Lucie Florida. The people at my nail salon who are from veteran
    gave the to me. My first thought similar to grapes and another fruit I’ve had from Jamaica called Genup. Over all I thought delicious. I can get used to eating this fruit and would recommend it.

    Keisha | 08.14.2015 | Reply
  42. I found Longan fruit here in Louisville, KY, at a Vietnamese market on Third Street in the southwest end of Louisville. This is the first time I have seen it here or heard about it, and I bought a couple of pounds. I’m sorry to have to say that I don’t know the price. I bought Rambutan as well and some other items, such as Dragon Fruit, and everything came to around $16.

    Crystal | 08.25.2015 | Reply
  43. Just bought them at Pacific Ocean Market in Broomfield, CO (between Boulder and Denver) for $2.28 lb!

    sckcancermom | 09.25.2015 | Reply
  44. Found these just today at Pacific Ocean Market in Denver, CO. I got about 2-3 lbs for $4.70

    Kris | 10.11.2015 | Reply
  45. They have longan berries and lychees at Randazzo’s in Westland, MI for $2 a lb. Just tried some for the first time yesterday. Pretty much just like small lychees.

    Niccistar | 10.16.2015 | Reply
  46. Mekong Market in Mesa, AZ has longan fruit. Part of my lunch today, celebrating Chinese new year!

    Amanda | 02.08.2016 | Reply
  47. I just bought some at one of the Asian markets here in Okc! They were $5/lb! But well worth the memories of Cambodia!

    Greg | 03.06.2016 | Reply
  48. my Sister-in-law bought them at the Pacific Produce store in Milwaukee, WI. I think they taste like coconut milk. Pain to peel…will try to open another way….

    Sherry K | 04.06.2016 | Reply
  49. I have a very large Logan Tree in my backyard in SW Florida. Is there anyway I can make a tonic ? Does anyone know how I would do this?

    Amy Moore | 08.02.2016 | Reply
  50. My neighbor has a whole yard of these growing in his front yard in St. Petersburg. He told me they were good for the heart. You just squeeze the peel right off of them and enjoy. Very little meat of the fruit since it has a large seed in the middle of it but quite tasty.

    John Terrones | 08.04.2016 | Reply
  51. We have fresh longan fruit for sale, free shipping in the USA. Take advantage while it’s in season

    Marlene | 08.09.2016 | Reply
  52. I found the Logan fruit on west 441 Florida and I love for $2 pound!!

    Ieda | 08.17.2016 | Reply
  53. See some on Craigslist (Orland) in the Farm & Garden section. Whole plants for sale.

    dontcallme | 08.21.2016 | Reply
  54. I just found these new to me fruits in the flea market right off I95 in Melbourne FL. I am germinating and will plant my seeds.

    Markus | 08.22.2016 | Reply
  55. I have a Logan tree at my house, every year I had been given away all the fruit, I did not really know all the benefits this amazing fruit has. thank you for all the information you are giving to us.

    Martha | 09.01.2016 | Reply
  56. Found longan yesterday @ Flea market in Homestead (Redland Market Village) $4/lb

  57. Found a big bin of them at the Buford Highway Farmers Market in the northeast quadrant of Metro Atlanta (Just outside I-285). Good stuff.

    Mark Ray | 01.30.2017 | Reply
  58. I found a large display of them at The Real Canadian Superstore (President’s Choice) in Calgary, Alberta at $5.88 a bag.

    John Campbell | 02.04.2017 | Reply
  59. 3/3/17 found these at Horrocks market in Lansing, Mi!

  60. Chuck’s Produce in Vancouver WA carries longans and rambutan, along with everything else you can imagine.

    Josie R. | 03.16.2017 | Reply
  61. They are at Fresh Choice on katella in Anaheim, ca right now

    Lora | 03.26.2017 | Reply
  62. My 2nd cousin grows longans and lime leaves in central Florida for sale.

    Mark | 04.08.2017 | Reply
  63. We have them in Tucson at Lee Lee’s Market on Orange Grove & La Cholla.

    Bernadette | 04.14.2017 | Reply
  64. We have those in Barbados; I used to pick them from random trees walking across the village as a kid. We call them ackee— I was always confused by the fact that Jamaicans called their ackee, which look very different, by the same name. I never knew what the proper name for them was until I was reading a Chinese webnovel that referred to longans, and looked them up and found this page.

    Alex | 04.23.2017 | Reply
  65. Just discovered longan fruit as we were wandering through HMart in Naperville, IL. We went there to get Jackfruit (my new addiction). We definitely understand why they would be called ‘dragon’s eye’! They are delightfully and mildly sweet.
    Does anyone know if the seeds are edible? I make tea from date seeds and avocado seeds. Can I do the same with longan seeds? Or can they be sprouted and eaten?

    Stephanie | 05.26.2017 | Reply
  66. Available at Horrock’s in west Lansing, Michigan. They say they get a shipment in every Thursday, usually.

    Robert W Hopkins | 06.04.2017 | Reply
  67. I was walking my dogs through my neighborhood wilton manners Florida and one of my neighbors asked me if I wanted some fruit. She handed me several branches of full of Logans.

    Dashland | 07.28.2018 | Reply
  68. This morning a friend gave me a big bunch of dragon eye from his tree here on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. I am a retired chef and had never heard of dragon eye. My website is at tasting hawaii.com. I plan on developing a recipe for this healthy fruit. Thanks for all of the information.

    Chef James Temple | 10.06.2019 | Reply
  69. Me and my girlfriend have discovered these amazing little fruits in Medford (southern Oregon) and love them. Unfortunately are climate is to cold here so are chances of growing them here is unlikely. But I’m sure they’ll grow in Mexico.

    Myron | 01.26.2020 | Reply
  70. Went to the Westside Market in Cleveland, Ohio and came across this fruit. Very unique, thought they were olives at first glance. Knew nothing about them, but thought I would try them. So glad I did!!

    Jennifer | 07.29.2022 | Reply
  71. It can reduce the risk of cancer, edema, GERD, IBS, and effectively combat anemia. It also imparts a glow to the skin and helps manage insomnia and stress. However, excess consumption may trigger undesirable side effects as this fruit is high in carbs and sugar. Hence, people with diabetes should not consume longans.


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