The shallow-rooted loquat tree is generally 25 to 33 feet in height with almost an equal spread. This freely branching evergreen has a compact, broad, rounded shape. It has a fast growth rate. The young stems are covered with rusty hairs.
Its branches are heavily covered with sharply toothed, dark green leaves, up to a foot in length. Arranged in a spiral fashion, the lance-shaped foliage has prominent veins. The new leaves can have a reddish tinge. They are covered with dense woolly hairs, and are rusty gray underneath. There is a variegated cultivar that has white along the leaf margins.
Blooming during the late fall through late winter, it produces white to cream-colored blooms. One-half inch wide, these fragrant blooms have five petals. They open in large clusters, up to six inches in length. These arise at the ends of the shoots. They contain fifty or more blossoms. The clusters can be conical to cylindrical with an upright or pendant habit. Both the blossoms and flower buds are covered with brown hairs. The tree begins blooming at an early age.
The edible fruits are produced in clusters. Slightly larger than a crab apple, they contain about five seeds. Also known as the Japanese medlar, these ripen to yellow, orange, or reddish-orange. They are aromatic, juicy, with a melting flesh. The tangy flavor is a combination of sweet and sour. The soft flesh can vary in color, depending on the cultivar. These ripen in the spring.
There are basically two major types of loquats. The ones of Chinese origin are larger, shaped like pears, and always have yellow flesh. On the other hand, the Japanese can be either yellow or white fleshed. These tend to be round and smaller than the Chinese.
Loquats are recommended for zones 7 through 11. They are mostly grown from North Carolina to Florida, throughout the South and Gulf region to California and Oregon. In colder regions, they can be grown as container plants and moved outdoors for the frost-free months.
Typically this grows well wherever citrus thrives. They do best where summers and winters are mild. Prolonged summer heat waves can interfere with flowering.
The tree can survive frost, but the foliage will suffer at temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Neither the fruit nor the flower buds will survive temperatures below 29 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that the trees can't reliably bear a fruit crop in northern Florida even though the trees themselves may grow fine. It does best at elevations below 1200 feet.
Go To Page: 1 2
