🍑 Loquat

Eriobotrya japonica
Blooms in fall, fruits in spring — the contrarian of the orchard.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Days to harvest
2–3 years from grafted tree
Spacing
15–20 feet apart
Soil pH
6.0–7.0

How to grow

One of Florida's easiest fruit trees — self-fertile, drought-tough, and handsome enough for the front yard. Plant in fall or winter in any decent soil; it barely notices neglect. 'Christmas' and 'Oliver' are solid varieties. Thin crowded fruit clusters for bigger, sweeter loquats.

Water & feeding

Water to establish; mature trees shrug off drought like it never happened.

Common problems

  • Fruit flies in the harvest
  • Fire blight (less than pears, but watch)
  • Leaf spot, mostly cosmetic

Harvest

Pick when fully golden-orange and slightly soft — underripe loquats are mouth-puckeringly tart, ripe ones are apricot-honey.

Nerdy fact: Loquat is in the rose family — cousins with apples, pears, and roses. And it blooms in fall and winter, which is completely backwards from nearly every other fruit tree. Rebel.

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