The Sub Zero Loquat Is Getting Ready To Flower

[amh]

I mentioned in the Polar Vortex thread that I have a fruiting loquat that has survive every winter since 2021. The tree had fruit that survived 9F during the 2023-24 winter. This tree is located at the southwest corner of my property and is completely exposed to the wind, sun and cold. This zone8 tree has survived both temperatures below zero and extreme drought, so maybe it is genetics, or maybe it is luck.

The tree is now getting ready to flower in October and it will hopefully produce fruit again this next spring. I had saved seeds from the fruit earlier this year and have had good germination.

[happypalms]

There one tough tree I have a couple of mature ones. Dry tolerant cold and heat they take a beating. With the added bonus of some nice edible fruit. Do the birds get them in your area.

[amh]

6 hours ago, happypalms said:

There one tough tree I have a couple of mature ones. Dry tolerant cold and heat they take a beating. With the added bonus of some nice edible fruit. Do the birds get them in your area.

The birds are not much of a problem here, I think this is because of the orange coloring. The main fruit thieves are raccoons and opossum.

[happypalms]

27 minutes ago, amh said:

The birds are not much of a problem here, I think this is because of the orange coloring. The main fruit thieves are raccoons and opossum.

Raccoons and opossum now that sounds like the equivalent to possums and kangaroos eating everything in the garden. I guess the birds haven’t developed a taste for them yet.

[Silas_Sancona]

49 minutes ago, amh said:

The birds are not much of a problem here, I think this is because of the orange coloring. The main fruit thieves are raccoons and opossum.

Deer, Opossums, and certain birds ( ..Parrots, Doves, Grackles, Mockingbirds  ) would consume / pick at whatever fruit off these wasn't harvested off neighborhood trees in CA. 

Could add Lovebirds, Coati and Peccary  to that list here.

Short video of Loquats at the Mission Garden in Tucson:

https://www.missiongarden.org/blog/loquat-fruit-trees-at-mission-garden

[amh]

29 minutes ago, happypalms said:

Raccoons and opossum now that sounds like the equivalent to possums and kangaroos eating everything in the garden. I guess the birds haven’t developed a taste for them yet.

The birds here are attracted to red fruits, I'm sure they get some, but I rarely see any bird damage. The raccoons and opossum are omnivores, so they only get a small percentage of fruits, so I leave them alone. Our main garden baddies are the native deer and the invasive roof rats. I'm not familiar with kangaroo damage, but I can imagine that it is quite extensive.

[amh]

5 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Deer, Opossums, and certain birds ( ..Parrots, Doves, Grackles, Mockingbirds  ) would consume / pick at whatever fruit off these wasn't harvested off neighborhood trees in CA. 

Could add Lovebirds, Coati and Peccary  to that list here.

Short video of Loquats at the Mission Garden in Tucson:

https://www.missiongarden.org/blog/loquat-fruit-trees-at-mission-garden

The local wildlife seem to prefer the native fruits(hackberry, persimmons, agarita, grapes, etc.), but the cooper's hawks keep the doves away and I only have migratory grackles.

Speaking of native fruit eaters, I once view a very intense standoff between a deer and skunk over some Texas persimmon that had fallen on the ground. It was too dark to use a camera, but it was exciting to watch.

[Silas_Sancona]

30 minutes ago, amh said:

The local wildlife seem to prefer the native fruits(hackberry, persimmons, agarita, grapes, etc.), but the cooper's hawks keep the doves away and I only have migratory grackles.

Speaking of native fruit eaters, I once view a very intense standoff between a deer and skunk over some Texas persimmon that had fallen on the ground. It was too dark to use a camera, but it was exciting to watch.

Have seen Raccoons,  and the occasional Scrub Jays vs. Squirrels battles over Persimmons in my grandparents yard in CA.. Skunks  and the deer that would wander through the neighborhood seemed to leave everything alone ..except the lawns, lol.

Just about " Pumpkin- stealing Peccary " season here..  As dry as it has been i'd bet there will be more " in town " sightings this year.

 Been a couple years but there were a couple roaming a neighborhood about a mile from the house..

Weird to think i could capture shots of one wandering up our street -with the med. offices / hospital in the background-  late some night,  yet i still haven't seen any anywhere while out in the desert / mountains where they're pretty common.

 

[Ben G.]

23 hours ago, amh said:

I mentioned in the Polar Vortex thread that I have a fruiting loquat that has survive every winter since 2021. The tree had fruit that survived 9F during the 2023-24 winter. This tree is located at the southwest corner of my property and is completely exposed to the wind, sun and cold. This zone8 tree has survived both temperatures below zero and extreme drought, so maybe it is genetics, or maybe it is luck.

The tree is now getting ready to flower in October and it will hopefully produce fruit again this next spring. I had saved seeds from the fruit earlier this year and have had good germination.

 

Good to know they grow so well for you! I left a small orchard at my old acreage in Oklahoma. I was sad to leave it. So, I have planted a good number of fruit trees on my neighborhood lot here in the SATX area.

Part of my plan to provide screening was to alternate some sabal mexicanas with loquat trees along my back fence. I wanted to create evergreen screening with a tropical feel. The fruit will hopefully just be a bonus in good years.

I have 4 loquats and 4 feijoas currently, along with a satsuma, peach, jujube, pomegranate, and figs.

[amh]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Have seen Raccoons,  and the occasional Scrub Jays vs. Squirrels battles over Persimmons in my grandparents yard in CA.. Skunks  and the deer that would wander through the neighborhood seemed to leave everything alone ..except the lawns, lol.

Just about " Pumpkin- stealing Peccary " season here..  As dry as it has been i'd bet there will be more " in town " sightings this year.

 Been a couple years but there were a couple roaming a neighborhood about a mile from the house..

Weird to think i could capture shots of one wandering up our street -with the med. offices / hospital in the background-  late some night,  yet i still haven't seen any anywhere while out in the desert / mountains where they're pretty common.

 

I've never seen peccary in my area, but they used to be fairly common on the western areas around I10. For some reason everyone hates them, but they are just opportunistic cactus eaters. I kinda like them, but they get displaced by the actually damage causing feral pigs.

[amh]

1 hour ago, Ben G. said:

Good to know they grow so well for you! I left a small orchard at my old acreage in Oklahoma. I was sad to leave it. So, I have planted a good number of fruit trees on my neighborhood lot here in the SATX area.

Part of my plan to provide screening was to alternate some sabal mexicanas with loquat trees along my back fence. I wanted to create evergreen screening with a tropical feel. The fruit will hopefully just be a bonus in good years.

I have 4 loquats and 4 feijoas currently, along with a satsuma, peach, jujube, pomegranate, and figs.

Loquats are rightfully popular in the southern states and from the period of time between 1949 and 2021, the cold wasn't an issue. I had about 11 trees growing, but the stress of the extreme drought and cold winter cycle of the past few years killed off all but 1 tree. Loquats are a great evergreen screen and will reach 10ft in about 3 years from seed here, faster in wetter climates. The feijoas are actually much hardier than the loquats, but they are slower growing.

I'm working on a similar screen now on my western property line. I just added 7 feijoas this past week and in the spring I will add pomegranates, figs and palms. Why plant a hedge that wont give you food? I would like to grow citrus, but I am just too cold for everything but Citrus trifoliata, which I have been starting from seed.

I'm currently working on a palm heavy screen project on my southwest property line, but I will plant a few loquats in the sunnier locations.

 

[Chester B]

My only issue with Feijoas is that I have never found them to be very drought tolerant.  I had to water them a lot back in Portland or the leaves would start to crisp.  The four I have here are really struggling.  They keep getting burnt so bad and losing half their foliage and some branches.  I'm hoping once they are more established they can take things better.  I have been continuously adding in big plants around them to give them a bit of shade.  I've only seen one in a yard and its in full shade and looks pretty good.

[amh]

5 hours ago, Chester B said:

My only issue with Feijoas is that I have never found them to be very drought tolerant.  I had to water them a lot back in Portland or the leaves would start to crisp.  The four I have here are really struggling.  They keep getting burnt so bad and losing half their foliage and some branches.  I'm hoping once they are more established they can take things better.  I have been continuously adding in big plants around them to give them a bit of shade.  I've only seen one in a yard and its in full shade and looks pretty good.

It could just be the difference in climate. For me, I have to water feijoa for the first year, but afterwards they require little to no irrigation. The plants do enjoy shade and will grow much faster than plants growing in full sun, like 3X faster. I think I have 18 in the ground now with a few backups in pots, all seed grown. I was originally worried about their cold hardiness, but after surviving '21, I will probably buy some cultivars.

[Chester B]

35 minutes ago, amh said:

It could just be the difference in climate. For me, I have to water feijoa for the first year, but afterwards they require little to no irrigation. The plants do enjoy shade and will grow much faster than plants growing in full sun, like 3X faster. I think I have 18 in the ground now with a few backups in pots, all seed grown. I was originally worried about their cold hardiness, but after surviving '21, I will probably buy some cultivars.

Have you gotten any fruit yet?

I had 4 feijoa in Portland.  A Coolidge and three seedlings, so basically unnamed.  The Coolidge died the first summer.

I have eaten fruit from trees in Portland and I really like it.

[Fusca]

My loquat in San Antonio also survived February 2021.  There was a fairly large fruiting loquat on my property here but it wasn't irrigated while the house was rented and it was in a full all day sun spot.  The minimal fruit it produced last year was dry and wrinkled and despite my efforts to water it finally gave up last September - burnt to a crisp from the drought.  I started one from seed this spring and hope to try it in a more protected spot.

[amh]

22 hours ago, Chester B said:

Have you gotten any fruit yet?

I had 4 feijoa in Portland.  A Coolidge and three seedlings, so basically unnamed.  The Coolidge died the first summer.

I have eaten fruit from trees in Portland and I really like it.

I haven't had any of my plants fruit, but I have tried and enjoyed the flowers.

[amh]

22 hours ago, Fusca said:

My loquat in San Antonio also survived February 2021.  There was a fairly large fruiting loquat on my property here but it wasn't irrigated while the house was rented and it was in a full all day sun spot.  The minimal fruit it produced last year was dry and wrinkled and despite my efforts to water it finally gave up last September - burnt to a crisp from the drought.  I started one from seed this spring and hope to try it in a more protected spot.

Loquats can handle shade, so you can place your seedling just about anywhere, but I would wait until it is about 3ft tall to plant.