Nancy:

I'm no expert but am growing two at the present time and have killed a couple over the years. Standing water=death. But we have had one of the wettest winters into this summer and they seem to be doing fine even with our 3 inch rain we got a day or two ago which culminated about a week of an inch a day rains. They are very drought tolerant as well. So I don't think there is much you could do to kill your tree. I'd just do a watering a couple of times a week if there is no rain and I'm sure you'll be fine. As long as there is good drainage, more water, as long as it doesn't pool will be Ok also. Good luck!

Harry

thats a very healthy looking little tree. do you know if its a named cultivar?
Harrys variety "Bradenton" was by far the best loquat i have tasted yet

Thanks Harry for the tips/advise.

Mango kush, seems to be pretty healthy so far, hope I can keep it that way. I really doubt its a named cultivar, more than likely its a seedling? Especially for the price I paid. :o) Harry's loquat sounds delicious! I can only hope if mine ever fruits that it will be good enough to eat. Wonder how long before this one flowers?

Nancy,

If it is a seedling, it has a way to go yet, I think. I have seen seedling trees flower when they are about twice that size....but anything is possible with seedlings, maybe yours will be ahead of itself. We have these trees planted as landscape trees throughout our area....like in Walmart parking lots, etc. I always try the fruits when I encounter these trees. I have tasted some that were pretty darned good......definitely eatable. However, the biggest problem that you have with seedlings is the scant flesh problem with large seeded fruits. I have encounterd some meaty seedlings though. I would estimate it as being about 10% of the ones that I have tried. Hope you are the lucky one and get an early blooming and nicely fleshed/flavored one. They are very nice trees in any case. Enjoy!

Harry

i heard they airlayer easily so i wouldnt be surprise if it was one of a good variety.

Thanks!! I'll keep fingers crossed I end up with a good tasting one.

I grow them in North Carolina so you should have no problem with winter weather. Up here we rarely get fruit but plenty of winter blossoms which is worth it. I have succeeded in air-layering mine but I wouldn't call it easy, about 1 in 10 makes it and it takes them over a year to form roots. I quit messing with tiny branches or side sprouts, now I scar and treat a large branch and wrap it up in damp media encased in foil. I call it Insta-Tree.

I have seen people down here with huge trees, so i guess they air layer big branches. i bet its easier to get things to root in our rainy seasons.

my mom has two seedling trees and one of them flowered when they were as big as your tree. the other was delayed a year, but it was planted in a very shaded area. both are pretty much neglected but are very healthy and attractive looking (houston tx). no water, no pruning, no covering, nothing.

one of them has huge fruits like 2 inches across, but it's more sour than sweet.

Thanks John and Jun...sounds like I picked a good tree for being easy care and best of all if you guys can grow them in TX and NC...I'm all set! Just wanted to add something in the yard I didn't have to "cuddle" like my Mango trees.

Nancy

That's a pretty tree with nice foliage. I've never thought about getting a loquat but after seeing/reading how tropical-like and cold-hardy yours is; I think that's gonna be my next purchase.

Bo

Hi Bo...thanks! Might as well add Loquat to your long list of fruit trees to get...what's one more right,lol!

Mango kush...I wish I knew how to air layer or graft for that matter. I just can't seem to do it right. I tried a few times with mangoes and it didn't work! Followed the You tube video as best as I could too. **sigh**

i wish i could do alot of things and realized i probably just going to have to try and accept inevitable failure.

i want to air layer a lower branch on my jaboticaba to make a bonsai specimen.

i also want to graft my kampong mauve Sugar apple, Lisa Atemoya and Rollinia with different varieties so i can eventually prune them half and half. i already have a source for whitman purple sugar apple scions, i want to graft a gefner onto my lisa atemoya and a different Rollinia onto my tree when that starts fruiting.

Jun,
You might have better luck with the taste of your 2 inch loquats by leaving them until they start to turn almost light orange. The sourness can turn to sweetness at that point.

Loquat is one of those trees that grow wild in Bermuda (along with surinam cherry, pawpaws, peach and to some extent avacado and almond). Interestingly, we had hurricane Igor just pass yesterday, most fair very well in strong winds (peach and pawpaw not so much but both seem to comeback). With their propensity to grow wild so well, this vouches for their ease of care (I.e. none).