Growing Loquats In Phoenix Arizona

Photo
Pictured on the right is a grafted Big Jim loquat two years after being planted. It is located on the East side of a large pine tree, so it is in the shade in the afternoon. The first summer, a shade structure was placed over the young tree so that it did not receive direct sun after 10 in the morning. Planted in April it did not produce any fruits the first year. It's second May, it produced approximately 20 fruits and did not produce any fruit the third May. However, it did grow substantially the third May, leading me to believe it is alternate bearing. The fruit from this tree is oblong, the size of a small peach, and dark orange when ripe. The flavor is also peach like but milder.

Overview
Loquats grow in the lower desert if they receive some protection from the afternoon sun and adequate water. Their large exotic looking foliage is very attractive and select varieties produce delicious fruit. Freezing is not a problem anywhere in the lower and upper Sonoran desert. The most challenging aspect of growing loquats is their sensitivity to salty soil.

Fruit
Loquats come in many varieties with fruit varying in size, color, and flavor. Big Jim has one of the largest fruits and offers a very good flesh to seed ratio. Loquat seeds are large, black, and smooth and easily separated from the rest of the fruit. The skin on the fruit is fuzzy like a peach but is not palatable. The easiest way to eat a fresh loquat is to slice it open with a knife, discard the seeds, and then eat the flesh off of the back of the skin, similar to how a kiwi is eaten. Loquats grow easily from seed but seedlings have a very low probability of producing good tasting fruit and might not even fruit at all. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that only a grafted tree be purchased. Grafts are sold as named varieties and the graft point should be clearly evident near the base of the tree.

Heat Tolerance and Sun Exposure
Loquats need protection from afternoon sun in the lower desert. Exposure to direct sun at temperatures over 100 degrees will scald the plants leaves and eventually kill it. Newly planted trees should be protected from late morning sun their first summer using a shade structure. After the first year, loquats do well in Eastern exposure and filtered sun.

Care should be taken to choose a loquat variety that fruits during the mild months of the year so that fruit is not lost to summer heat. Big Jim fruits are a good fit to the lower desert because they are ripe in May.

Cold Tolerance
Loquats are evergreen, but freezing is not a problem in the Sonoran desert because loquat foliage is hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Fruit and flowers are less hardy so it is best to choose a variety of loquat that flowers after the possibility of frost is past.

Planting
Dig a hole at least twice the size of the rootball. At a minimum, make the hole 2 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep. Work in a 30/70 mix of compost to soil. Be sure to mix the compost and soil as thoroughly as possible. It also is a good idea to finish with the hole an inch or two recessed so that a watering basin is formed.

Watering frequency
Loquats do well on a grass watering schedule. Newly planted loquats need extra watering the first summer if their leaves get exceptionally droopy.

Watering method
Basin or flood irrigation is recommended because it helps keep the salt in our salty water from accumulating around the roots. Furthermore, deep watering will encourage the plant to develop deeper roots, making the plant tougher when the weather gets hot and dry.

Fertilizing and Growth Rate
Loquats are very sensitive to soil salinity. Since Phoenix area water is already high in salts, the safest thing to do is to not use any chemical fertilizers. Soil amendments such as compost are still beneficial, and seasonal deep soakings with gypsum will help keep the plant healthier.

Propagation
Loquats can be grown from seed, but good fruit will only be reliable on grafts. That being said, the majority of healthy large loquat trees in town are seedlings. The reason for this is because seedlings are faster growing and are therefore better able to keep ahead of the heat and soil salinity problems.

Loquats bought from local nurseries are imported from California and grafted on loquat rootstock. Generally, this is the best rootstock for loquats except that it leaves the plant vulnerable to soil salinity. Loquats can also be grafted to hawthorn, quince, and pyracantha. Quince in particular has shown promise as a salt resistant rootstock. It will be interesting to see if in the future these other rootstocks can be used to produce a lower maintenance tree for our environment.

Pests
Birds love loquats and can get all of the fruit unless measures are taken to discourage them. Attaching shiny foil colored helium children's balloons to the tree, when the fruits start to turn color, is very effective. Leave some cord attached to the balloon so it moves around unpredictably. These type of balloons are also thick skinned so they won't pop easily like standard rubber balloons. Covering the tree with a net also works but will break the branches on young trees, so this is only recommended for larger trees. Loquats are also susceptible to fire blight, a disease that affects roses, but this doesn't appear to be a problem in Arizona's dry climate.

More Photos of Loquats Growing In the Phoenix Area

Here is an additional page showing loquats growing in the lower desert. If you would like to contribute a picture to this site, please feel free to e-mail your digital photo, along with an explanation of where you live, your loquat variety, and anything else you would like to add. More Loquat Photos

Links to more loquat information

Julia Morton California Rare Fruit Growers