Description: The plant is about 10ft tall. Local pick up only Scientific Name: Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.Synonyms: Crataegus bibas, Mespilus japonicus, andPhotinia japonicaCommon Names: Japanese plum, Japanese medlar, nisperojapones (Spanish), ameixa do Japao (Portuguese), luju(Chinese), lokwat (Maylay and Indonesian)Family: RosaceaeRelatives: apple, pear, peach, nectarine.Origin: Native to southeastern and central China Ornamental as well as practical, loquat trees make excellent lawn specimen trees, with whirls of glossy foliage and a naturally attractive shape. They grow about 25 feet (7.5 m.) tall with a canopy that spreads 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 m.) —a size that is well-suited to home landscapes. Large clusters of attractive fruit stand out against the dark green, tropical-looking foliage and add to the tree’s visual appeal. Learn more about growing and caring for a loquat tree to see if this interesting addition would make a suitable option for you. What is a Loquat? You may be wondering exactly what is a loquat. Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are trees that produce small, round, or pear-shaped fruits, rarely more than 2 inches (5 cm.) long. Sweet or slightly acidic in flavor, the juicy flesh may be white, yellow, or orange with a yellow or orange-blushed peel. Loquats are tasty when peeled and eaten fresh, or you can freeze the whole fruit for later use. They make excellent jellies, jams, preserves, cobblers, or pies. Loquat Tree Information Loquat trees are sensitive to cold weather. The trees can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 F. (-12 C.) without serious damage, but temperatures below 27 F (-3 C.) kill the flowers and fruit. Some varieties are self-pollinating, and you can get a good yield from just one tree, but there are several cultivars that must be pollinated by another tree. When planting one tree, make sure it is a self-fertile type. Loquat Tree Planting Caring for a loquat tree properly begins with its planting. When growing loquat trees, you should plant the trees in a sunny location at least 25 to 30 feet (7.5 to 9 m.) from structures, electrical lines, and other trees. When you remove the sapling from its container, rinse off some of the growing media so that when you plant the tree, the roots come in direct contact with the soil. Plant the tree so that the soil line of the tree is even at the level of the surrounding soil. Water the tree twice the first week after planting and keep the soil lightly moist around the tree until it begins to put on new growth. Caring for a Loquat Tree Growing loquat fruit trees and their care focuses on good nutrition, water management, and weed control. Fertilize the trees three times a year with a lawn fertilizer that does not contain weed killers. In the first year, use a cup (453.5 g.) of fertilizer divided into three applications spread over the growing season. In the second and third years, increase the annual amount of fertilizer to 2 cups (907 g.). Scatter the fertilizer on the ground and water it in. Water a loquat tree when the blossoms begin to swell in spring and two to three more times when the fruit begins to ripen. Apply the water slowly, allowing it to sink into the soil as much as possible. Stop when the water begins to run off. Young trees don’t compete well with weeds, so maintain a weed-free area that extends 2 to 3 feet (60 to 91 cm.) from the trunk of the tree. Take care when cultivating around the tree because the roots are shallow. A layer of mulch will help keep weeds at bay. Planting a Loquat Tree Proper planting is one of the most important steps insuccessfully establishing and growing a strong, productiveloquat tree. The first step is to choose a healthy nurserytree. Commonly, nursery loquat trees are grown in 3-galloncontainers and trees stand 2 to 4 ft from the soil media.Large trees in smaller containers should be avoided becausethe root system may be “root bound”, which means thatall the available space in the container has been filled withroots to the point that the tap root is growing along theedge of the container in a circular fashion. Root-bound rootsystems may not grow properly once they are planted in theground.Inspect the tree for insect pests and diseases and inspectthe trunk of the tree for wounds and constrictions. Selecta healthy tree and water it regularly in preparation forplanting in the ground. Site Selection In general, loquat trees should be planted in full sun forbest growth and fruit production. Select a part of thelandscape away from other trees, buildings and structures,and power lines. Remember loquat trees may becomemoderately large if not pruned to contain their size. In areaswhere there is a chance of spring frost, select the warmestarea of the landscape. In locations where this is not aconcern loquat may be planted anywhere in the landscape.Loquat trees should be planted in areas that do not flood(or remain wet) after typical summer rainfall events. Planting in Sandy Soil Many areas in Florida have sandy soil. Remove a 3 to 10ft diameter ring of grass sod. Dig a hole 3 to 4 times thediameter and 3 times as deep as the container the loquattree came in. Making a large hole loosens the soil next tothe new tree making it easy for the roots to expand into theadjacent soil. It is not necessary to apply fertilizer, topsoil,or compost to the hole. In fact, placing topsoil or compostin the hole first and then planting on top of it is not desirable. If you wish to add topsoil or compost to the nativesoil, mix it with the excavated soil in no more than a 50-50ratio.Backfill the hole with some of the excavated soil. Removethe tree from the container and place it in the hole so thatthe top of the soil media from the container is level with orslightly above the surrounding soil level. Fill soil in aroundthe tree roots and tamp slightly to remove air pockets.Immediately water the soil around the tree and tree roots.Staking the tree with a wooden or bamboo stake is optional,but, do not use wire or nylon rope to tie the tree to thestake since they may eventually damage the tree trunk as itgrows. Use a cotton or natural fiber string that will degradeslowly. Planting in Rockland Soil Many areas in Miami-Dade County have a very shallowsoil, and several inches below the soil surface is a hard,calcareous bedrock. Remove a 3- to 10-ft-diameter ringof grass sod. Make a hole 3 to 4 times the diameter and 3times as deep as the container the loquat tree came in. Todig a hole, use a pick and digging bar to break up the rockor contract with a company that has augering equipmentor a backhoe. Plant the tree as described in the previoussection. Planting on a Mound Many areas in Florida are within 7 ft or so of the water tableand experience occasional flooding after heavy rains. Toimprove plant survival, consider planting fruit trees on a 2to 3 ft high by 4 to 10 ft diameter mound of native soil.After the mound is made, dig a hole 3 to 4 times thediameter and 3 times as deep as the container the laquattree came in. In areas where the bedrock nearly comes tothe surface (rockland soil), follow the recommendationsfor the previous section. In areas with sandy soil, follow therecommendations from the section on planting in sandysoil. Care of Loquat Trees in the Home LandscapeA calendar outlining the month-to-month cultural practices for loquat is shown in Table 2.FertilizerA month after planting, spread 1/4 lb (113 g) per tree ofa young-tree fertilizer, such as 6-6-6 (6 % nitrogen 6%phosphate 6%potassium) with minor elements. Twentyto 30% of the nitrogen should come from organic sources(Table 3). Repeat this every 8 weeks for the first year. Then,gradually increase the amount of fertilizer to 0.5, 0.75, 1.0lb etc., (227 g, 341 g, 454 g, etc.) as the trees grow. Four to6 dry fertilizer applications per year may be made up to thethird year.A foliar fertilizer mix composed of magnesium and minornutrients (manganese, zinc, boron, and molybdenum) maybe applied 2 to 3 times per tree per year any time from April to November. In acid to neutral soils, apply iron sulfateat 0.25 to 1 oz per tree to the soil 2 to 3 times per year. Inalkaline soils with a high pH, drench the soil with ironchelate 2 to 3 times per year from June through September.To make a soil drench, mix 0.5 to 0.75 oz (14–21 g) of ironchelate with 4 to 5 gallons (14–19 liters) of water and pouronto the soil next to the tree trunk.For mature trees, fertilize trees 2 to 3 times per year. Thefertilizer should be applied just before or at bloom, perhapsduring late fall, again in March, and once during thesummer. The fertilizer mix should also include phosphate(P2O5) and potash (K2O); use a 6-6-6, 8-3-9 or similarmaterial. Irrigation (Watering) Newly planted loquat trees should be watered at plantingand every other day for the first week or so and then 1 to2 times a week for the first couple of months. For the first3 years, water once a week during prolonged dry periods(e.g., 5 or more days of little to no rainfall). Once the rainyseason arrives, reduce or stop watering.Once loquat trees are 4 or more years old, water themduring the fruit development period and during prolongeddry periods. Over watering may cause trees to decline or beunthrifty Pictures depict grown up plants and its possible applications.Height of the plants is measured from the base of the root ball.
Price: 90 USD
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
End Time: 2024-09-05T04:17:02.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
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