Litchis are indigenous to the tropical regions of southern China, where they have been cultivated for centuries. The South African litchi industry began in 1875, when the first trees were introduced from Mauritius. Since then, litchis have flourished in regions with warm, humid summers and frost-free winters; particularly the lowveld areas of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Today, litchis are a sought-after crop in South Africa, prized for their distinctive flavour and strong market demand both locally and internationally.