Loquat Tree
Loquat is an evergreen tree of Rosaceae, native to China and mainly distributed in the provinces south of the Yangtze River, is a rare and rare tree species in the south
of China.
Loquat matures from spring to early summer, which coincides with the off-season of fresh fruit supply in the middle of the year. Early-maturing loquat is “the first fruit in early spring” in the south.
Fruit color is orange-yellow, and the fruit meat is soft and juicy, with a unique flavor and is widely loved; moreover, the nutritional value of loquat fruit is also very
high.
This fruit is rich in calcium, phosphorus, VC, iron, and carrot slices, in which the content of carrot and phosphorus is higher than that of citrus, banana, and pineapple.
However, the early summer in the south is hot and wet, so it is not resistant to storage and transportation. Generally stored at room temperature for less than 20 days, it will lose water wrinkle or decay, thus losing its edible value.
Therefore, to achieve a high yield of Loquat, realize long-distance transportation, increase economic benefit and do a good job of preservation, it is of great practical significance
The fruit is round to oval-shaped with a sweet, tart flavor, often described as pearlike
with a touch of pineapple and apricot. Loquats are delicious eaten raw or made into jelly, jam, sauce, compote, or wine.
Loquat pie is a real treat, too. Just be sure to remove the large seeds before cooking
the fleshy fruit.
‘Nagasakiwase,’ a Japanese variety with deep orange flesh and a good ratio of flesh to seed, is one of the earliest varieties to ripen and is deliciously sweet.
Or you might like to grow ‘Bessell Brown,’ with thick orange skin and firm, sunshine-yellow flesh. The fruit is big, but so are the seeds, and it has a lovely mild flavor.
With their large leaves and exotic-looking flowers and fruit, loquats make attractive feature trees or evergreen screens and bring a tropical feel to the garden.
GROWING LOQUAT TREES
Loquat trees are remarkably dry tolerant and may be grown in full sun or part shade in a wide range of climates.
Propagate by seed or grafting. They aren’t particularly fussy but, for best results, grow them in rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and dig in compost and organic matter
before planting.
Trees are self-pollinating, so only one is required to produce a big fruit crop. Plants cope with little water, but additional deep watering will improve growth and performance.
Feed with a complete organic fertilizer in peak growing season. On the downside, this fruit is susceptible to Queensland fruit fly and can also become invasive in certain areas.
HARVESTING LOQUAT TREES
Loquats produce fruit somewhere between two and eight years of age. Grafted plant fruit earlier. Fruit generally ripens through spring.
You can distinguish ripe fruit from unripe fruit as the riper fruit is generally orange in color and softer to the touch.
This fruit has no post-harvest ripening, so it is necessary to wait until it is ripe before being collected.
With the prolongation of the storage period after harvest, the primary sensory changes of Loquat were that the pulp became hard, the pericarp was difficult to peel, and gradually lost water, browned or even rotted.
Loquat chutney served with grilled fish and sauteed chard
Loquat Chutney
3 cups loquats, membranes removed, seeded, and chopped
1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
One green apple, cored, peeled, and finely chopped
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white distilled vinegar
One teaspoon ginger or freshly grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients in a medium skillet and slightly boil for 30 to 45 minutes until reduced and an excellent color is achieved. Pour into a hot Mason jar or cool for use.
Sauteed Chard
Lots of chard — greens and rainbow — washed, stemmed, and chopped
6 to 8 fresh garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil, A good splash of red pepper flakes, Sea salt, and pepper, to taste
Remember, chard is like spinach: It looks like a lot until it wilts. So pick a bunch of it, literally!
Heat a large skillet or stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic. The amounts here are relative to how much chard you are cooking.
Saute garlic until cooked, and then add greens, constantly stirring, or cover so you can add more greens as they wilt. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue cooking until tender.
Place greens in the center of the plate. Top with your favorite grilled fish, then top fish with loquat chutney.
Healthy seasonal cooking!
LOQUAT DETAILS
Common name: Loquat, Japanese medlar, Chinese plum
Botanical name: Eriobotrya japonica
Family: Rosaceae
Aspect & soil: Sun; well-drained soil
Best climate: All areas
Habit: Evergreen shrub or tree
Propagation: Seed, cutting (more di cult), grafting
Difficulty: Easy
