Easter Sunday afternoon we drove into Jonathan and Brend'a drive-way and I looked across their yard to the neighbor's yard. I noticed a tree with small yellow "fruit" hanging on it. I almost couldn't believe my eyes! Now...for you southern folk this may not be a big deal, but for this "California Girl" who has been looking for this particular tree since I was a young girl it's REALLY a BIG DEAL! I wandered over to the tree and sure enough it was a LOQUAT tree!!!
We lived next door to the church on Harvey and Thesta when I was a little girl, and just outside the living room window was a LOQUAT tree. Many times I remember my brother Keith and I opening the window and picking the fruit off of this tree. It was delicious and I have never forgotten the taste of the sweetness of a LOQUAT! I have asked around for years if anyone knew what a LOQUAT was or where I could find a tree and no one knew. They said they knew what a "Kumquat" was, but had never heard of LOQUAT.For those of you wondering if I picked one and ate it....well....YESSSSS I DID!!! No one around me thought it was a big deal, but I made them all taste it. This one little LOQUAT became a "community loquat"!
Here are a few facts about the LOQUAT for you to read. I found them rather interesting.
Origin: The loquat is indigenous to southeastern China. It was introduced into Japan and became naturalized there in very early times. It has been cultivated in Japan for over 1,000 years. It has also become naturalized in India and many other areas. Chinese immigrants are presumed to have carried the loquat to Hawaii. It was common as a small-fruited ornamental in California in the 1870's, and the improved variety, Giant, was being sold there by 1887. Japan is the leading producer of loquats, followed by Israel and Brazil.
Adaption: The loquat is adapted to a subtropical to mild-temperature climate. Where the climate is too cool or excessively warm and moist, the tree is grown as an ornamental but will not bear fruit. Well established trees can tolerate a low temperature of 12° F. The killing temperature for the flower bud is about 19° F, and for the mature flower about 26° F. At 25° F the seed is killed, causing the fruit to fall. Extreme summer heat is also detrimental to the crop, and dry, hot winds cause leaf scorch. High heat and sunlight during the winter often results in sunburned fruit. The white-fleshed varieties are better adapted to cool coastal areas. In a large tub the loquat makes a good container specimen.
I hope you have "learned a little something" that you didn't know before, but if you did or didn't know about the LOQUAT it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that my mind can rest about this "little fruit" I had fallen in love with when I was much younger! I know this was not a major happening in anyone's life but mine, but it made me so happy to know there is a difference between a LOQUAT and a KUMQUAT!
