Age/size of fruiting depends on if your Loquat is grafted, or a seedling. Seedlings can take 6 years or more to bloom.

My grafted Loquat is under 3' tall, and the entire top is masses of blooms and new fruit.

They seem to be very easy-care trees. Fruit trees normally do not need much, if any, fertilizer. Too much good food, and they put on new foliage instead of fruiting.

With your tree I'd remove the grass in a 4' circle around the trunk, prune it back, and remove the low-growing suckers. You could wait until spring to prune, to see if it does bloom this winter. If not, then wacking it back will make a better tree.

Loquats are a great dooryard fruit tree!

Lisa

Heather

I did what Lisa suggested to do. Remove the grass and the suckers.

Hi Lisa (Great fruit tree connoisseur!)
What variety of Loquat do you have? Can you describe the fruit that it has?

Can you possible name a source of your Red Lime? I am sold on it!

Willy

They are prone to fire blight. I am currently losing the battle with mine. 1/2 the tree has broken off this year. I love the form of this tree and the flowers smell awesome!

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. I'll shoot for pruning around March, assuming it doesn't bloom. It seems that loquat can be maintained as a relatively small tree? Can you keep it about 8 feet tall or so? I'm trying to keep my small yard from being overwhelmed by massive trees.

Thanks!

Heather

Willy, Excalibur Rare Fruit Trees in Lake Worth has Red Limes. Now is a perfect time to buy one, as they are all dressed up for the Holidays with bright orange, perfectly round, unbelievably juicy fruits! I'm not sure which variety my new one is- it has a girlie name that I've forgotten. I'm too ill to walk out back to read the tag (have the flu). I have not tasted this fruit yet, the tree is new and small. I got it at Excalibur as well. My old tree that was killed by the hurricanes, had terrific, sweet, yellow fruits that tasted of apricots. I miss it!

Loquarts *are* prone to fireblight, which is another reason not to fertilize them much. Rapid growth and humidity are prime factors in fireblight outbreaks. Affected trees can be cut way back, and Loquats cut to the ground nearly always grow back. Loquats can easily be kept short.

Lisa

Thank you very much Lisa!

We are planning to take a trip to Excalibur since they don't do mail order. Hopefully I will find some of the trees on your recommended list (seedless tangerine, red lime, peach, tamarind, maybe a mulberry will be nice too)
I think I got my Christmas list! LOL

The Loquat you describe sounds like the same one I tried and like it.

Hope that you get better soon, take care.

Willy

Willy, don't buy Tamarind or Mulberries! Too expensive! Save your $$ for trees that must be grafted or are hard to grow!

I'll send you cuttings. Can send Pomegranate cuttings too.

Just email me. Now is a good time for dormant cuttings.

Lisa

I love my loquats . They are SO easy to grow and highly tolerant of all kinds of conditions . Even my many dogs love to eat the golden sweet fruit .

Loquats self seed easily . Fruiting depends on age and environment . I usually do not apply extra fertilizer to mine - they get enough from the lawn and still seem to do very well . After reading the link , I will start following their advice .

The UF link states : Relatives: apple, pear, peach, nectarine. No wonder the fruit can taste so good !

Here is an excellent link with lots of info :

Here is a link that might be useful: Loquat Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

Thanks for the great link, gatormom. No blooming yet. Just lots of new leaf growth that I've been seeing for the last month or two.

Today I start weeding the jungle...

Thanks all!

Heather

I live in Texas and got 3 loquats from a nursery how do I know if they have been grafted I planted them this spring and they look good maybe just wait and see if they flower