Loquat trees for the landscape

Loquat trees are an excellent addition to the Florida landscape. The trees are well-shaped evergreens that are easy to care for and look pretty year-round. During Florida’s cool season, when most trees in the landscape are in a semi-dormant state, loquat trees are in full bloom. The tiny white flowers of the loquat are very fragrant and attractive. As spring advances, loquats begin to bear fruit. Their small fruits are oval-shaped, about one to two inches long, and dull yellow or orange in color. Since loquats are evergreen, they contribute to an attractive landscape during the summer and autumn months, as well.

Loquat trees are relatively small, reaching a height of 25 feet when full grown. Their leaves may be about a foot long. Young leaves have a fuzzy texture, which becomes smooth and waxy as they mature. Most loquats bear fruit regularly, and often, quite heavily. A five year old tree, for example will produce about a hundred pounds of fruit in a typical year.

There are three ways loquats are grown: from seeds, rooted cuttings, and budded trees. Loquat trees are easy to grow from seeds, but seed-grown loquats won’t produce the superior fruit varieties and may take years to produce.

The best fruit comes from loquats that are vegetatively propagated. Some of the ways this is done in Florida are shield budding and grafting.

Loquats seem to do best in subtropical climates, but the mature trees can withstand temperatures as low as ten degrees Fahrenheit without freeze-damage. However, the blooms of young fruit are easily killed by frosts, so fruit production is usually minimal in colder areas of the state. Also, the best quality fruit usually comes from the warmer areas of the state.

The trees can be grown on any Florida soil, as long as it’s well drained and free of salt. Loquats need a good water supply to produce good quality fruit, but this must be carefully monitored. Never flood a loquat with water—this quickly kills the tree.

Loquats need some fertilizer for the best fruit production. When the soil is shallow, it’s a good idea to make three or four applications of fertilizer a year.

In deeper soil, one or two yearly applications are adequate. Use a mixture containing six to eight percent each of nitrogen and potash and two to four percent each of phosphoric acid and magnesium.

Pruning loquat trees is unnecessary, since the trees have naturally well-shaped, symmetrical crowns. Occasional pruning to remove dead wood is fine. Also, if you notice that your loquat is producing very small fruit, pruning a few branches may help increase fruit size, by reducing the total number of fruit clusters on the tree.

Loquats are unusual among fruit trees in that the flowers appear in the autumn or early winter, and the fruits are ripe in late winter or early spring. The flowers are 2cm in diameter, white, with five petals, and produce in stiff panicles of three to ten flowers. The flowers have a sweet, heady aroma that can be smelled from a distance.

Loquats reach maturity in 90 days from full flower opening. Determination of ripeness is not easy, but it is important because unripe fruits are excessively acid. Full development of color for each cultivar is the best guide.

The fruit are difficult to harvest because of the thick, tough stalk on each fruit which does not separate readily from the cluster, and the fruits must be picked with stalk attached to avoid tearing the skin. Clusters are cut from the branch with a sharp knife or with clippers. Whole clusters are not particularly attractive on the market, therefore the individual fruits are clipped from the cluster, the stalk is detached from each fruit and the fruits are graded for size and color to provide uniform packs. Great care is taken to avoid blemishes.

Loquat generally will keep for 10 days at ordinary temperatures and for 60 days in cool storage. After removal from storage, the shelf-life may be only 3 days.

The skin of the loquat is easily removed; peeled and seeded fruits are eaten fresh, sometimes combined with sliced banana, orange sections, and grated coconut. The fruit is also made into jam and, when slightly under-ripe, has enough pectin to make jelly.

For more information on loquats contact your local Gulf County Cooperative Extension Service at 229-2909 or 639-3200 or visit our website http://gulf.ifas.ufl.edu/.