How to grow a loquat tree to bring sweetness and prosperity – with planting and care advice from fruit experts

Loquats are tropical fruit trees known for their sweet, juicy, and aromatic fruits. Native to Japan and China, they have been grown for thousands of years and are revered as symbols of wealth and prosperity. They are now common in warmer climates and make attractive additions to any backyard.

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a versatile fruit tree that needs sun and warmth to produce a good crop of highly nutritious fruits. Given the right conditions, the loquat will reward you with clusters of golden fruit in spring. These can be enjoyed fresh or used in fruit salads, jams, jellies, chutneys, pies, and tarts.

If you want to learn how to grow a loquat tree, the first good news is that they are easy-to-grow fruit trees. They can be kept compact and often require minimal maintenance once established. To help you enjoy success with loquats, we reveal how to plant and care for loquats at home.

How to grow a loquat tree - an expert guide

Loquats are compact fruit trees that can reach 25 feet tall but are often around 10 feet. Their distinctive dark, green leathery leaves and sweet, fragrant flowers make loquats attractive evergreen trees to add to your backyard ideas.

Add to this the aromatic apricot-like fruits that can be yellow or orange, depending on the variety, and there is much to love about loquats. To discover more about how to grow a loquat tree, I hear from tropical plant and fruit tree experts to get advice for healthy trees and fantastic harvests.

How to grow a loquat tree - planting tips

Loquats can grow up to 25 feet tall, though can be pruned to maintain a smaller size, and need to be given lots of room for growth. If you want to add a loquat to your tropical garden ideas, plant the fruit tree at least 12 feet from any trees or structures. If you only have space for one loquat tree, it must be a self-fertile variety.

Loquat trees thrive in warm tropical and subtropical climates. They are suited to growing outdoors in US hardiness zones 8-11 and are relatively cold hardy, but damaged by temperatures below 27°F. Their love for sun and warmth means they perform best in a planting spot with at least six hours of direct sunlight. They can tolerate partial shade, where fruiting will be affected, but not lots of shade.

Tatiana Anderson, a tropical plant expert from Top Tropicals, says that loquats are ‘an excellent choice for a wide range of climates’ and their adaptability makes them ‘perfect for small spaces or urban gardens’. Wherever you grow a loquat tree, ensuring it is planted in the right soil type will make a difference to its overall happiness.

‘Choose a planting site with well-draining soil, as loquats do not do well in waterlogged conditions,’ says Tatiana. ‘Slightly acidic to neutral soils enriched with organic matter are ideal.’

Adding compost or well-rotted manure to the planting site will improve the soil’s fertility and drainage. Incorporate organic matter into the soil while planting, ideally in the fall or spring. Dig a hole twice as big as the loquat tree’s root ball and mix the organic matter when backfilling. Plant the loquat tree so the top of the root ball is level with the ground.

Tatiana Anderson

Tatiana Anderson is the co-owner and co-founder of Top Tropicals, based in Fort Myers, Florida. Top Tropicals grow and sell a whole range of flowering and fruiting tropical plants. You can discover a range of loquat fruit trees available at Top Tropicals.

How to grow a loquat tree - care tips

• Watering - Loquat trees need regular watering in the first years after planting to get them established. Keep a close eye on the soil moisture levels to keep it consistently moist and help develop a strong set of roots. Use a soil moisture meter to gauge when to water plants and avoid overwatering loquats, which can lead to root rot. Katie Brines from Stark Bros adds: ‘Loquats are somewhat drought-tolerant fruit trees once established, but they perform best with regular watering during the dry season. Mulching around the base can help retain soil moisture.’ Avoid making the mulching mistake of piling mulch against the trunk as it leads to rot.
• Fertilizing - Feeding loquat trees helps keep them healthy and produce a good crop of fruits. Tatiana Anderson recommends fertilizing ‘2-3 times a year during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer’. It is best to start the feeding regime in late winter or early spring and pick a slow-release product to fertilize fruit trees so it releases nutrients to the tree over an extended period.
• Pruning - The best time to prune loquat trees is in late winter to early spring, before the new growth starts. Pruning the fruit tree will develop or maintain its shape and focus energy on creating new growth for fruiting. To prune established loquat trees, trim to maintain the tree’s height and remove any dead, damaged, or diseased wood. Also, remove weak or crossing branches and any suckers or water shoots.
• Harvesting - Loquat trees typically start producing fruit 2-3 years after planting the fruit trees. The fruits do not ripen concurrently and it may take several harvesting sessions to pick all the loquats as you want to let fruits fully ripen on the tree. ‘The fruit ripens from early spring to early summer, depending on the variety and growing conditions,’ advises Tatiana Anderson. ‘The signs of ripe fruit include a bright yellow to orange color, a sweet, aromatic fragrance, and a slight softness when gently pressed.’ Individual fruits can be picked by being twisted - ripe loquats should detach easily - or entire clusters can be cut from the tree with clean and sharp pruning shears. Take care when harvesting to avoid bruising the fruit.

Katie Brines

Katie Brines is a gardener and grower, as well as being part of the small marketing team at Stark Bro's. The nursery has provided quality fruit trees, nut trees, berry plants, and garden plants across America for over 200 years. 

FAQs

Can you grow a loquat tree in a container?

Loquat trees can be grown in container gardens. Pick a dwarf or smaller-growing variety to plant in containers and use large pots at least 14-16 inches in diameter. The planter must have drainage holes in the bottom and be filled with a well-draining potting mix. Place the loquat tree in a sunny spot in the backyard and, if you live in cooler climates, move the container indoors into a greenhouse, conservatory, or porch for the colder months. Keep a close eye on watering plants in containers as loquats in pots will need more watering and feeding than plants in the ground.

Can I plant a loquat tree close to my house?

Free-standing loquat trees should be planted at least 12 feet from the home, or any other backyard structures. Loquats are suitable for growing as espalier trees trained against a warm wall, however, the regimented pruning of espalier trees controls their growth.

If you are after more exotic ideas for tropical fruit trees to grow at home, why not consider lychee? The unique fruits are common in Asian markets and are now more regularly seen in grocery stores.

Lychee fruits develop on slow-growing evergreen trees that are suitable for growing outside in warmer climates, or you can grow the fruit tree in pots to overwinter indoors. If you want to know more, see our in-depth guide on how to grow lychee and learn from the experts to enjoy success with these attractive and productive fruit trees.