# Loquat (*Eriobotrya japonica*) Loquats are sweet, yellow fruits that grow on trees. They are juicy and tasty, making them a fun snack for kids and animals alike! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Eriobotrya, Japanese Plum ![Loquat](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/684991624/medium.jpg) Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/684991624) ## Appearance The Loquat has large, leathery, dark green leaves with fuzzy, white undersides and prominent veins. Its small, fragrant white flowers bloom in clusters, followed by fuzzy, yellow-orange, pear-shaped fruits that hang in abundance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rhaphiolepis ## Interesting facts - Despite its nickname "Japanese plum," the loquat is actually related to roses and apples! - Even its big, shiny leaves can be brewed into a special, healthful tea! - Loquats are a rare fruit that ripens in winter, a sweet treat when most trees are bare! - The word "loquat" comes from Chinese, meaning "reed orange" because of its shape! ## Special abilities - **Winter Fruit Provider:** Loquat can provide sweet fruits in late winter/early spring, offering food when other fruit trees are bare. - **Fuzzy Leaf Protection:** Loquat has fuzzy leaf undersides that help protect it from cold weather and reduce water loss. - **Adaptable Survivor:** Loquat can thrive in a variety of climates, even tolerating mild frosts, helping it grow far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 500-1000 cm - **Spread:** 300-600 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Fall-winter - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Essential for fruit production. - **Eats:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Cultivated for its sweet, tangy fruits. - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Birds, like robins, enjoy the ripe fruits. - **Eaten by:** [House Finch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-finch) (*Carpodacus mexicanus*) — Finches also feed on the soft, ripe loquat fruits. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash fruits before eating them to keep them clean and safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Loquat? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Loquat? 500-1000 cm ### How wide does Loquat spread? 300-600 cm ### How big are the flowers on Loquat? 1-2 cm ### When does Loquat bloom? Fall-winter ### Is Loquat edible? Yes ### Is Loquat toxic? Mild ### What is Loquat's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fort Brown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-brown) — US · Historic Site - [Secessionville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/secessionville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Tockwotton-Love Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tockwotton-love-place-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Bibb City Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bibb-city-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Georgia Avenue-Butler Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/georgia-avenue-butler-avenue-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Gordon Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gordon-avenue-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District [View all places to see Loquat](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/loquat) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Loquat: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/loquat)