荔枝在中國(guó)自古有之，最早在戰(zhàn)國(guó)時(shí)期，就有人食用荔枝，而外國(guó)卻是在16世紀(jì)之后，從中國(guó)出口到國(guó)外的荔枝。而荔枝的英文名字，其實(shí)正是套取了我國(guó)荔枝的諧音，在《大中華帝國(guó)史》中有記載：

They haue a kinde of plummes, that they doo call lechias, that are of an exceeding gallant tast, and neuer hurteth any body, although they shoulde eate a great number of them.