Native & adapted

Loquat

Eriobotrya japonica

Also known as Japanese plum · Japanese medlar · Níspero · Sơn trà

An easy evergreen that flowers in fall and ripens sweet, apricot-colored fruit in spring. Very cold hardy, but needs heavy shade for its first two Phoenix summers.

EdibleFruitingEvergreenPollinatorCold hardy

Landscape layersLower canopy

Mature size

15–25 ft tall and 15–20 ft wide

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b · High desert · USDA 6a–8b

Plant spacing

15 ft from other trees

Frost

Tree hardy to about 15°F; flowers and young fruit damaged below about 27°F.

Special categories

EDIBLE · POLLINATOR ATTRACTING

Hardiness guidance

USDA 8–10; tree hardy to about 15°F, flowers and fruit damaged near 27°F

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

March and April.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Fast-draining soil; tolerates alkaline ground with compost.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Protect from west sun while young. Avoid frost pockets so the winter flowers survive.

Cold hardiness

Cover early bloom below 27°F

The tree is hardy to about 15°F, but it flowers and sets fruit in winter, and those die below about 27°F. Cover it only when a hard freeze is forecast, to save the crop.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 15°F · Blossoms and fruit: below 27°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

Heat sensitive in Phoenix: fruit sunburns (purple spot) and the trunk sunscalds. Let the canopy grow to the ground, avoid hard pruning, and keep it out of reflected west sun.

Sources:

journals.flvc.org , asu.edu

Right plant, right place

Will Loquat grow at your Arizona property?

Better in the ground than in a pot. Grows and behaves much like citrus. Watch for fire blight.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b, High desert · USDA 6a–8b.

Light

Sun exposure

Heavy afternoon shade for the first two summers, then full or partial sun.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate. Deep water every 7 to 10 days in summer.

Fruit set

Pollination

Most varieties are self-fertile; bees love the fall flowers.

Harvest

How to use it

Fresh, in jams, pies and syrups.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Loquat thrive

1
Shade young trees heavily during their first two summers.
2
Thin fruit clusters after set for larger fruit.
3
Prune out any blackened, scorched-looking shoots, a sign of fire blight.
4
Water deeply and mulch the root zone.

Read the horticultural reference ↗