Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica
Pickup currently unavailable at Aiken Nursery
The loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, is a handsome broadleaved evergreen of the rose family, kin to apples, pears, and hawthorns, grown for the bold foliage and the early, unusual fruit. Native to the warm-temperate hills of central China and cultivated in Japan for more than a thousand years, the loquat has traveled with settlers throughout the mild-winter world, from the Mediterranean to the American South, where old dooryard trees are a familiar sight. The large, leathery leaves, deeply veined and toothed along the edges, give the tree a lush, almost tropical presence year round.
The loquat keeps an upside-down calendar. Where most fruit trees bloom in spring, the loquat opens clusters of small, fragrant, cream-white flowers in late fall and early winter, filling cold air with a soft, sweet scent and feeding bees when little else is in flower. From those winter blooms come the fruits: small, oval, yellow to orange, with sweet-tart, honeyed flesh around a few large brown seeds, ripening in spring, months ahead of any other tree fruit. Whether a given year sets a heavy crop depends entirely on winter cold, since a hard freeze at or after flowering will take the blossoms and the fruit with them.
In the landscape the loquat pulls double duty as ornament and orchard. Left to grow, the tree makes a rounded, densely leafy small tree or large shrub, fifteen feet or more, excellent as an evergreen screen, a patio shade tree, or a bold-textured specimen against a wall. The fruit is best fresh off the branch but also makes fine jelly, jam, and preserves, and the trees carry a heavy crop where winters are kind. Give the loquat room, since the broad canopy and big leaves want space to look their best.
Loquats are easy in the right climate. Hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, the tree wants full sun to part shade and fertile, well-drained soil, tolerates a range of ground so long as drainage is good, and shrugs off heat once established, though young trees and open flowers need protection from hard frost. Beyond the kitchen, loquat leaves have a long life in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, where they are known as pipa ye and brewed against coughs and chest complaints, an old use that modern research on the leaf's triterpenes continues to explore. Few small trees give so much: evergreen structure, winter fragrance, spring fruit, and a deep well of history.
- Hardiness
- USDA Zones 7–10
- Sun
- Full Sun, Part Shade
- Soil
- Well-drained, Fertile
- Mature size
- Height 12–15 Feet · Spread 12–15 Feet
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Seasonality
- Evergreen
Clusters of small, fragrant, cream-white flowers in late fall to early winter, followed by sweet-tart yellow to orange fruit in spring
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is shared for traditional and educational interest only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before any medicinal use.
- Loquat seeds and raw leaves contain cyanogenic amygdalin and must not be eaten unprocessed
- Traditional preparations require proper processing of the leaves
- Recorded for educational and traditional context, not medical advice
From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.
Because most of our plants are grown from rooted cuttings — alongside seed, air layering, and grafting chosen for each variety — you receive a stronger, true-to-type plant that establishes quickly in your garden.
Raised on organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management — never harsh chemicals — your plant arrives healthy for your garden, your family, and the pollinators they feed.
Every purchase gives back. We donate to the Aiken Arboretum and support local wildlife conservation, so growing your garden helps protect the wider ecosystem too.
All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.
Your plant arrives carefully packed and ready to settle in. Unpack them promptly, give them a day or two to acclimate, then plant following the notes we include — that’s all it takes. Clear care guidance comes with every order, so success is the easy part.
What to expect upon delivery
All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.
Each plant is carefully packaged with its roots enclosed in a secure plastic bag containing moist soil, forming a compact root ball. To ensure safe transport, the box is padded with recycled newspaper, providing both stability and eco-friendly protection from weather during shipping.
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Review our full return policy information on our SHIPPING AND RETURNS POLICY page.
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At Woodlanders, we strive to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. Therefore, we can only accommodate changes to your order within the first 24 hours after it has been placed. These changes include adding or removing products and modifying the delivery address. If you need to make any changes or if there has been a mistake with your order information, please reach out to us promptly via our CONTACT page with your order number for the quickest resolution.
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