Are you a lover of growing fruits in your backyard and love to spend family time picking some fresh ones to enjoy with friends and family? The loquat tree is a popular choice among many gardeners who desire an attractive, fruit-bearing tree in their garden.
Your best bet is to purchase a grafted seedling, and you will harvest the first fruits in about 3 years. Let’s say that growing loquat from seed could be a tricky affair, and not many gardeners are willing to take that route.
Loquats thrive in subtropical and mild winter regions of USDA zones 8 to 10. These trees do well where citrus grows. However, the orange flesh varieties require more warmth to produce sweet fruit.
Loquats grow up to 15 to 30 feet high. Within the first decade, the loquat tree will be about 12 to 15 feet tall and wide. Therefore, proper spacing is essential when you are planting your trees in a garden.
Planting. Remove the shrub from the container it arrives in and gently teases the roots, cutting away the tangled or circled roots to help new growth develop. Position the shrub in the pot and fill with potting mix, gently firming it down.
Loquat fruit takes about 90 days to mature after the flower opens fully. This tree is hardy and withstands cold temperatures up to 10 degrees F. A frost at the start or end of the fall season causes the young fruit to fall off.
Now that you know growing a loquat tree from a seed is tough, it’s best to grow yours from a grafted shrub. The loquat tree does not disappoint; it requires low maintenance provided you give it the right growing conditions.