At an ancient lychee park in Xiadong town, Dianbai district, Maoming, there is an old lychee tree that is more than 1,780 years old.

The Institute of Fruit Tree Research of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences identified the tree as 1,780 years old, 5.5 meters tall, and in a dying state of health in 2019. The tree had a rotten and hollow trunk, which was connected by a bit of bark to its roots. However, it still blooms and bears fruit every year.

In order to protect the tree, the relevant government departments of Maoming installed brackets and guardrails around it.

There is a legend about this tree. Locals went up to the Fushan Mountains to hunt and tracked their prey all the way, but the prey suddenly disappeared. They then got lost after trying to find their prey. It was a hot June day and they were very hungry. Then, they suddenly saw a lychee tree. They had never seen it before and tried eating some lychees. In the end, everyone decided to move the wild lychee trees in Fushan Mountains to the banks of the Shalang River.

Wang Qiming, the retired principal of Dianbai No 3 Middle School, said that there were bigger and older lychee trees before, which were not preserved. "After natural disasters and artificial deforestation, the ancient lychee trees that have survived are precious," he added.

The 1,780-year-old lychee tree in Maoming. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]