I think zone 7 is at the edge of this tree's hardiness range. In fact some sites put the edge at zone 8. We had some pretty cold weather this year - it got down to 10 degrees in Cherokee County one night this year. I think there is a chance the tree will recover and put out new leaves, especially given that you have seen green under the bark. I think it just got shocked. Give it some time, even until May.

Loquat is one of my favorite plants. I love its bold, tropical looking foliage and its clusters of ivory-colored flowers in the late fall.

I agree with esh ga that you'd be wise to give your loquat (_Eriobotrya japonica_) a chance to recover from whatever ails it before removing it from your landscape. If there is considerable limb loss, do you think the loquat could be suffering from fire blight, which is a common affliction of members of its plant family? It may be a good idea to consult the University of Florida's Agricultural Extension Service, which should have its publications on the Internet, to see what U of FL Extension has to say about loquat maladies. The Floridata database would be another good source of information about the loquat.

Re: the woodpecker. Do you think he/she may have discovered an insect of some kind that was harming the loquat? Maybe the tree has an insect problem, rather than a problem with fire blight.

I further agree with esh ga that loquat is marginally hardy in Zone 7b; however, the gradual loss of leaves doesn't sound like cold injury to me. If injured by the cold, the leaves of the loquat would be brown around the edges, or entirely brown, with the tip growth killed or obviously burned.

I have young loquats planted as foundation shrubs at the northwest corner of my house. They've been in the ground for only a couple of years. My loquats endured at least one approximately 10 degree Fahrenheit low this past winter and several other nights in the low to mid-teens. They apparently came through the cold well, with only a few leaves showing any injury.

Do you ever get fruit from your loquats?

My loquats are just beginning to gain enough size and maturity to bloom. I hope to see blossoms on them this coming fall. According to what I've read about loquats and observed in our Zone 7b landscape, one cannot expect to have loquat fruit in Zone 7b since the fruit forms and matures during the winter. One can expect the loquat to mature a successful fruit crop in the South Carolina Low Country, South Georgia, Florida, and other regions of the Gulf Coast. I've occasionally seen fruit on Zone 7b loquats during exceptionally warm winters but not a bumper crop.

Please help! We fell in love with the Loquat tree and recently planted one (which I believe is 4 yrs. old) It has fruit when we planted it.(Planted 4/5 weeks ago) Now the leaves are falling, but still has new growth. The leaves are brown. Where can I find info to care for it or find out what's wrong with it before it dies? Thanks in advance, Deb Weber, Calabash, NC

This is the normal time for Loquats to loose some leaves and make new ones! Just after fruiting. Don't worry. Lots around Atlanta are loosing some leaves and making some new ones.

Google the following search terms: _eriobotrya japonica floridata_ or _loquat floridata_. Floridata is an excellent database of horticultural information. Also consult the University of Florida's Agricultural Extension Service Database to retrieve their published document on the cultivation of loquats. Google _University of Florida Agricultural Extension Loquat_, or some such phrase. You will probably find USDA publications on the loquat by Googling _USDA loquat_.

We just had that extreme near Houston now my loquat tree leaves are Dead and falling did I loose my tree?

Same problem as Margaret,. but up in North Texas. A ton of leaves are turning brown and falling. I know you are supposed to leave it to see if it recovers from shock, but do we do anything else in the mean time? We hit sub-0 temp which has never happened and we didn't prepare trees for it (I know - to be honest we were so worried about pipes, we forgot the trees. :(

I’m in Austin and same as y’all. I hope it’s not dead.

I even covered the the loquat up and my neighbor helped me and I should concerns of it dying and neighbor said hope for the best.

These all got hammered in Seattle (USDA 8) during 1990 because it got into the single digits on many planting sites. Looked like they had been torched afterward. But many came back over time. However I don't know about subzero lows, that might be enough to do this tree in.

I've seen the ground covered in ripe fruit beneath Seattle loquats one time. The rest of the time not. As in maybe no fruit at all most years. But the winter flowers do attract hummingbirds.

Same happened to our 20+ year old Loquat in cypress, tx. The freeze last month has turned every single leaf totally brown. Then a few week's after the huge freeze, it got seriously pruned back by a yard guy while prepping our yard for new sod. Am really hoping this wasn't a big mistake and hope it will recover, as this tree was a pup off of a loquat in my backyard when I was growing up (that was planted around 1960) and I love it. Is there anything to be done to try to save it, or is it strictly a wait and see situation?