Dimocarpus longana is a medium sized evergreen tree growing up to 10m tall.
It is an attractive specimen with a round shaped, thick trunk and dense foliage.
It has compound leaves comprising of about 6-10 large leaflets with a glossy upper surface and hairy under surface.
The flowers are very small and unremarkable, they are borne on terminal panicles or clusters.
The fruit has a hard yellow brown skin protecting the centre of soft, sweet, white fleshy fruit and black seed.
It seems to be a relationship between the length of the cooler months and the amount of fruit produced.
In areas with cool frost free winters lasting 3 months much fruit is produced, in areas with warm winters the trees tend to produce little or no fruit.
The longan is a relative of the lychee and a popular fruit in Asia.