In Baiyun district of Guangzhou, two seasonal fruits – the sapodilla, a tropical fruit and Nero d'Avola, a black seedless grape – are in peak season, awaiting buyers to taste.

In Zhanggang village, sapodilla is now ripe and ready for harvest. Known for its heart-shaped appearance, the fruit boasts a rough brown skin and sweet, yellow-brown flesh. It offers a sandy texture with a hint of caramel aroma, leaving a delightful aftertaste.

A Zhanggang villager is busy picking sapodilla fruit. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_baiyunfabu]

With a history spanning over 40 years, Zhanggang has become synonymous with this rare fruit, thanks to local villager Hu Lixian, who introduced the high-quality sapodilla seedlings in the 1980s. Today, the village cultivates around 30 mu (2 hectares), yielding up to 5,000 kilograms per mu.

The fruit is available fresh or as a nutritious soup ingredient, known for its health-promoting properties. The harvest continues through July, with fruits available at local markets and directly from village vendors.

Nero d'Avola grapes resemble black pearls, their skins as dark as ink. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_baiyunfabu]

In Liaocai village, the Qicai Huatian Vineyard is now open for visitors to enjoy the fresh bounty and picturesque rural landscape featuring black seedless grapes. These grapes have a high sugar content and, being seedless, offer a superior taste and texture.