| Description |
The Loquat is a flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the Rosaceae family (which also includes apples in a separate genus). It is native to the cooler regions of China. Loquats are grown for their yellow fruit, also known as Loquats, and as ornamentals because of the rich fragrance of their flowers. The trees have a short trunk and a rounded crown of long, dark green, leathery leaves. White flowers appear in the autumn or early winter and have a sweet scent. Fruit grows in clusters and ripens by early spring or summer. Fruit have smooth or downy, yellow or orange skin, and are oval, round, or pear-shaped. Depending on the cultivar, the flesh is white, yellow, or orange, and sweet to acidic in taste. Fruit has thin skin and brown seeds. Loquats are sweetest when soft and taste like a mix of peach, citrus, and mango. Some varieties are self-pollinating, but most require another loquat tree nearby. Loquats can tolerate temperatures as low as -12°C, but flowers and fruit will die at -3°C.
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