History

A Brief History of Monk fruit [Luo Han Guo] by Prof. Lan Fusheng China's recognized expert in the cultivation of monk fruit.

Monk fruit, (Siraitia grosvenorii), is a perennial vine. The plant is a calabash which belongs to the cucumber family. The original botanical description of Siraitia grosvenorii was published in 1941 in honor of Dr. Gilbert Grosvenor. The name “luo han guo” or “monk fruit” might be derived from the belief that Buddhist monks were among the first people to cultivate this fruit, and in Chinese culture, monk fruit is also associated with the saints that surround Buddha. Although the geographical distribution of monk fruit plants covers parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces, it mainly grows in the mountains of Guangxi near Guilin. Guilin provides over 90% of the total commercial production and is known as the ancestral home of monk fruit production with a history of cultivated production spanning hundreds of years. Monk fruit is a protected plant in China and it is against Chinese law to grow the plant outside of China.

The skin, flesh and seeds of monk fruit are very sweet and possess a unique taste. People usually boil or simmer the fruit in water and drink as a herb tea, or use it in preparation of soups and stews. The fruit are traditionally associated with abundant health, and their use by Asian populations in many parts of the world as food and Traditional Chinese Medicine is well documented in the historical literature of China.

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