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ERIOBOTRYA JAPONICA LINDL. - Loquat,
Japanese medlar, Nispero |
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CULTURE |
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Location: Loquats are wind tolerant
and grow best in full sun, but also do well in partial shade.
The round headed trees can be used to shade a patio. Loquats also
make attractive espaliers.
Soil: Loquats grow well on a variety of soils of moderate fertility,
from light sandy loam to heavy clay and even limestone soils,
but need good drainage.
Irrigation: Loquat trees are drought
tolerant, but they will produce higher quality fruit with regular,
deep watering. The trees should be watered at the swelling of
blossoms and 2 to 3 waterings should be given during harvest time.
The trees will not tolerate standing water.
Fertilization: Loquats benefit from
regular, light applications of nitrogen fertilizers, but too much
nitrogen will reduce flowering. A good formula for applications
of chemical fertilizer is 1 lb. of 6-6-6 NPK three times a year
during the period of active growth for each tree 8 to 10 feet
in height. To control excessive growth, other authorities recommend
fertilizing only once a year in midwinter.
Pruning: Judicious pruning should
be done just after harvest, otherwise terminal shoots become too
numerous and cause a decline in vigor. The objective of pruning
is a low head to facilitate fruit thinning and harvest. Prune
also to remove crossing branches and thin dense growth to let
light into the center of the tree. Loquats respond well to more
severe pruning.
Propagation: Generally seeds are
used for propagation only when the tree is grown for ornamental
purposes or for use as rootstock. For rootstock the seed are washed
and planted in flats or pots soon after removal from the fruit
and the seedlings are transplanted when 6 to 7 inches high. When
the stem is 1/2 inch thick at the base, the seedlings are ready
to be top-worked. Loquats can be propagated by various grafting
methods, including shield-budding or side-veneer grafting and
cleft-grafting. The use of loquat seedling rootstock usually results
in a comparatively large tree with a high canopy. Cultivars grown
on quince rootstock produce a dwarfed tree of early bearing character.
The smaller tree has no effect on fruit size and gives adequate
fruit production with the advantage of easier picking. Loquat
cuttings are not easy to root. Grafted trees will begin to bear
fruit in 2 to 3 years, compared to 8 to 10 years in seedling trees.
Pests and diseases: In California
there are few pests that bother loquats. Occasionally infestations
of black scale may appear. Fruit flies are a serious pests in
areas where they are problem. Birds will also peck at the ripe
fruit and damage it, and deer will browse on the foliage.
Fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora is a major enemy of the
loquat in California, particularly in areas with late spring and
summer rains or high humidity. The disease is spread by bees during
flowering. Fire blight can be controlled somewhat by the use of
preventive fungicides or bactericides and by removal of the the
scorched-looking branches, cutting well into live wood. The prunings
should be burned or or sealed in a plastic bag before disposal.
Crown rot caused by Phytophthora and cankers caused by Pseudomonas
Eriobotrya are also occasional problems.
Harvest: Loquat fruits should be
allowed to ripen fully before harvesting. They reach maturity
in about 90 days from full flower opening. When ripe the fruit
develops a distinctive color, depending on the cultivar, and begins
to soften. Unripe fruits do not ripen properly off the tree and
are excessively acid. Harvest time in California is from March
to June. The fruit is difficult to separate from the cluster stems
without tearing and must be carefully clipped individually or
the whole cluster removed and the fruit then snipped off. Ripe
fruit may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.
The loquat is comparable to the apple in many aspects, with a
high sugar, acid and pectin content. It is eaten as a fresh fruit
and mixes well with other fruits in fresh fruit salads or fruit
cups. Firm, slightly immature fruits are best for making pies
or tarts. The fruits are also commonly used to make jam, jelly
and chutney, and are delicious poached in light syrup. Loquats
can also be used to make wine.
Commercial Potential: In California,
only in the coastal areas from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties
is the fruit produced regularly in quantity and of sufficiently
good quality to make commercial production feasible. Harvesting
is somewhat labor intensive and the difficulty of handling the
fragile fruit in addition to the relatively short self life and
storage ability, limit the loquat as a major commercial fruit.
Even so, the availability of loquats when few or no other local
fruits are in the market is a factor in their favor. The fruit
is also popular in ethnic markets and is offered in limited amounts
in specialty fruit stores and through Farmer's Markets in many
communities.
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CULTIVARS |
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Orange-fleshed Varieties
Big Jim
Originated in San Diego, Calif. by Jim Neitzel. Large, roundish
to oblong fruit, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Skin pale orange-yellow,
medium-thick, easy to peel. Flesh orange-yellow, very sweet but
with some acidity, of excellent flavor. Ripens midseason, March
to April. Tree vigorous, upright, highly productive.
Early Red
Originated by C. P. Taft in 1909. Medium-large, pear-shaped fruit,
borne in compact clusters. Skin orange-red with white dots, tough,
acid. Flesh orange very juicy, sweet, of fair to excellent flavor.
Seeds usually 2 or 3. Ripens very early, late January or early February
in California.
Gold Nugget (Thales, Placentia)
Large, round to oblong-obovate fruit. Skin yellow-orange to orange,
not thick, tender. Flesh orange-colored, juicy, firm and meaty.
Flavor sweet, somewhat reminiscent of apricot, quality good. Seeds
4 or 5, the seed cavity not large. Ripens late. Fruits borne only
a few to a cluster, keep and ship well. Tree vigorous, upright,
self-fertile.
Mogi
Selected from numerous seedlings planted at Mogi, Japan. Small,
elliptical fruit, weight 40-50 grams. Skin light yellow. Flesh relatively
sweet. Ripens in early spring. Tree cold-sensitive, self-fertile.
Constitutes 60% of the Japanese crop of loquats.
Mrs. Cooksey
New Zealand cultivar. Large fruit, up to 1-1/2 inches long and 1
inch in diameter. Yellow flesh of very good flavor.
Strawberry
Medium-sized fruit with yellow flesh. Named for the strawberry-like
flavor detected by some tasters.
Tanaka
Named after Dr. Yoshio Tanaka. Very large fruit, usually obovoid,
weight 2 to 3 ounces. Skin orange-yellow, attractive. Flesh firm,
rich orange, aromatic, slightly acidic to sweet, of excellent flavor.
Seeds 2 to 4. Ripens very late, the beginning of May in California.
Keeps unusually long, if left for a week it wrinkles and dries but
does not rot. Tree vigorous and productive.
Wolfe
Originated in Homestead, Florida by Carl W. Campbell. Fruit obovoid
to slightly pyriform. Skin yellow, relatively thick. Flesh juicy,
firm, flavor excellent. Seeds usually 1 to 3. Ripens in winter and
early spring, several days later than Advance. Suitable for all
purposes, but excellent for cooking. Tree to 25 feet tall. Blooms
during fall and early winter.
White-fleshed Varieties
Advance
Medium to large, pear-shaped to eliptic-round fruit, deep yellow
in color, borne in large, compact clusters. Skin downy, thick and
tough. Flesh whitish, translucent, melting and very juicy. Flavor
subacid, very pleasant, quality good. Ripens in midseason. Seeds
commonly 4 or 5, the seed cavity not large. Tree is a natural dwarf,
height 5 feet. Highly resistant to fire blight. Self-infertile,
pollinate with Gold Nugget.
Benlehr
Originated as a seedling on the property of Charles E. Benlehr of
Encinitas, Calif. Medium-sized oval to oblong fruit, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4
inches long. Skin thin, peels very well. Flesh white and juicy,
flavor sweet, quality excellent. Seeds 3 or 4.
Champagne
Fruit medium to large, oval to pyriform. Fruit cluster large, loose.
Skin deep yellow in color with a grayish bloom, thick, tough, somewhat
astringent. Flesh whitish, translucent, melting and very juicy.
Flavor mildly subacid, sprightly and pleasant, quality very good.
Ripens late. Seeds 3 or 4, seed cavity not large. Perishable, good
for preserving. Tree self-infertile, prolific.
Herd's Mammoth
Fruit large, long and slightly tapering at the stem end. Flesh yellow
orange with white to cream-colored flesh, good quality. Ripens earlier
than Victory. Subject to black spot.
Victory (Chatsworth Victory)
Large, oval fruit. Skin yellow to orange, becoming amber on the
side exposed to the sun. Flesh white to cream-colored, juicy and
sweet. Ripens in midseason to occasionally early. The most popular
cultivar in Western Australia.
Vista White
Small to medium-sized, roundish fruit with blunt calyx end. Skin
light yellow. Flesh pure white, very high in sugar content. Ripens
1 to 3 weeks later than Gold Nugget. Excellent for dessert.
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