Author Topic: Loquat Seedling or Cutting? (Read 4452 times)

Alisha · « **on:** April 13, 2018, 07:33:10 AM »

I recently bought a Vista White loquat tree from Willis Orchard and noticed when I got it there was no graft line anywhere on the stem. I called them and asked if this was a seedling of the Vista White since there was no graft and I was told it was a rooted cutting. Is there a way to determine if it is truly a rooted cutting (or air-layered) vs being a seedling or do I simply need to wait until the tree fruits for the first time before I know for sure? Or maybe the leaves are distinct enough that I could compare to someone that for sure has a Vista White?

achetadomestica · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2018, 09:29:00 AM »

Willis orchard is also Ty Ty nursery. They have a poor reputation.
I bought a white mulberry from them and also a Pakistan mulberry.
The first year I planted them I got small black fruit on them?
The trees grew great but never fruited again. Not only did they send
me the wrong trees they sent me trees that need cold to fruit.

I have heard you can root loquat cuttings but I have never had one root? I have only tried
a dozen times or so. If it is a rooted cutting it will produce allot sooner then a tree
grown from seed. Supposedly the trees don't grow true from seed? It has white
fruit but you may have to wait 5-7 years to find out.

I would find a more reliable place to purchase trees. Why does a nursery sell trees under more then one name?

Better yet plant 6 seeds and graft your own. There are some awesome people on this forum
that sell scions, recently a member sold me a peluche scion and so far it is pushing. I planted 6
more seeds to try next year.

Alisha · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2018, 11:52:26 AM »

That's odd, they are listed as separate businesses/owners under GA Corporate Division. But you're right, both of them have not-so-great reviews. Unfortunately I don't have any planted loquat trees to graft scions on, this was going to be my first tree and now I'm not sure if I should bother planting it. I've read loquats do okay with air-layering so maybe that's what they meant by a rooted cutting. I may just buy a seedling tree and try my hand at grafting scions but it would be nice if the Vista White had some defining feature that I could compare it to now that I have it.

achetadomestica · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2018, 02:43:27 PM »

I have 2 1/2 acres, well I did have that much room once. I have remote places in my
yard that I could plant it. Even seedling trees produce eventually and you could wait and see.
If you don't have allot of room then you could either graft a known cultivar on it now or plant it
and graft different scions later? I have never seen loquats offered from cutting or airlayering?
That should tell you something? How big is it now? My neighbor gave me an 18" seedling in a one
gallon and I ordered a peluche scion from California. It arrived in 3 days wrapped in buddy tape and
I grafted it. Pretty simple and it is pushing growth from the top? The scion cost me $8 including shipping.
If you have a multi branched tree you could graft a couple branches with different types and leave one to
see if it turns out to be Vista White. I prefer non cocktail trees and have some room to spare. When I
run out of room or if I had less space it might make sense. Wait a month and have a guy call up Willis
and ask them if they carry grafted loquat trees.

Alisha · « **Reply #4 on:** April 14, 2018, 07:13:43 AM »

It does seem like grafting loquats has a really high success rate so I may do what you did and buy a small seedling plant and graft a scion onto it. The tree I got is a good 4-5 ft tall and very healthy looking. I planted it in a 5 gallon pot for now until I can make up my mind. I have 2 spot in my yard I'd like to place named loquats and I have a list of ones I would like to have, it just depends on which I get my hands on first. I think it's a little too early in the season for many trees to be ready for sale, everyone I've spoken to is recommending to check back in early summer around May/June.

Alisha · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2018, 08:25:47 AM »

Here's a picture of the Vista White after I potted it up. It was a little too big for my shadehouse so it's now sitting on my patio in shade until it gets used to the area.

Does tip pruning work on loquats the same way it does on mangos? It's pretty leggy and I'd like to encourage branching but not sure if I should do anything just yet. Last thing I want to do it stress it out and kill it.

gnappi · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2018, 08:57:02 AM »

This was a discussion here a few years ago regarding rooting a cutting after I saw a video of a guy reportedly having success with it.

I took a bunch of cuttings and after using rooting hormone and planting (per a video I saw) I watched them closely for months without them dying. Ultimately I started to pull them and none had roots. Adam (at FFF) was right.

For a lengthy discussion on the issue, see:

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=4066.msg194019#msg194019

Alisha · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2018, 11:04:22 AM »

That's unfortunate and now I'm less inclined to believe the tree is not a seedling. I've gone ahead and emailed the nursery asking if they could specify the method of cutting (rooting vs air-layering) so I'll wait and see.

Bush2Beach · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2018, 11:24:42 AM »

Thats a crazy looking whip! Loquats are abundant landscaping tree's to most. Easy to grow from seed as other's have said.
Why would a nursery put time and energy into propagating such an easy to grow weed tree in this manner?

Alisha · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2018, 11:28:41 AM »

I honestly have no idea. Every named loquat tree I've seen in nurseries have been grafted and I assumed this would be too since it was stated to be a named cultivar.

buddy roo · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2018, 01:49:17 PM »

looks like a very poor quality seedling that was grown in low light, that would account for it being so tall and leggy. if it was mine i would cut it down NOW to about 6 or 8 inches and put a known graft on. Patrick

Galka · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2018, 02:39:20 PM »

Alisha, I may have some scions for sale if you want to try grafting. I have several named varieties.

Alisha · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2018, 02:44:38 PM »

Reading through some old reviews I found someone who had planted the Vista White from WO a few years ago. I've sent them a message asking if the tree turned out to be a Vista White or not so I'm waiting to hopefully hear back.

I am seriously considering grafting but I'll need to call around to see if my local nurseries have any seedlings for sale. A few weeks ago nobody had any loquats in stock at, seedling or otherwise. What scion varieties do you have for sale Galka if I may ask?

Galka · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2018, 05:05:39 PM »

Quote from: Alisha on April 14, 2018, 02:44:38 PM

Reading through some old reviews I found someone who had planted the Vista White from WO a few years ago. I've sent them a message asking if the tree turned out to be a Vista White or not so I'm waiting to hopefully hear back.

I am seriously considering grafting but I'll need to call around to see if my local nurseries have any seedlings for sale. A few weeks ago nobody had any loquats in stock at, seedling or otherwise. What scion varieties do you have for sale Galka if I may ask?

I have Peluche, Vista White, Tori, Avri, Novak and Puppelo. I will have to see which ones I can get scions from. Let me know what you decide to do.

achetadomestica · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2018, 07:03:49 PM »

I have Peluche, Vista White, Tori, Avri, Novak and Puppelo. I will have to see which ones I can get scions from. Let me know what you decide to do.
[/quote]
Wow that's an impressive list. Do you get fruit from them all yet? Which is your favorite?

zands · « **Reply #15 on:** April 14, 2018, 07:30:28 PM »

Loquat is too leggy. Cut off at 14" and let it grow back........ But really you probably got a common loquat landscaping tree from the Willis bad boys. Forget about those clowns.
So get another loquat... a real grafted one. You know that loquats from a good solid grafted variety are ten times better than ones off a landscaping tree.......The Japanese and Taiwanese obsess over the large excellent loquats they have bred.

This guy has excellent grafted varieties

Our Kids Tropical Nursery - Garden Center - Winter …
https://www.facebook.com/Our-Kids-Tropical-Nursery-1567863190171891
Our Kids Tropical Nursery, Winter Garden, ... OPEN BY APPOINTMENT GIVE ME A CALL LARRY 407-595-5236 +4. Our Kids Tropical Nursery added 13 new photos. ...

https://orlando.craigslist.org/for/d/jaboticabacocktail-citrus/6526502744.html

______________________

Another better source is our forum member Adam Shafran who is near you. He is too busy to post here much anymore
http://www.flyingfoxfruits.com/

He had all kinds of loquat cocktail trees growing .....multiple varieties on same tree

Alisha · « **Reply #16 on:** April 14, 2018, 11:17:16 PM »

I'm coming to terms with the high possibility I have a random seedling but meh, I'll live and learn. I did speak with both Larry and Adam back in January but they mentioned they wouldn't have any loquats available until summer and I don't want to pester them. I have been keeping an eye on their facebook pages in case they post anything for sale. I did call Just Fruits and Exotics up in north Florida since I saw on their website they carry Novak, Pupelo, and a few others I've not seen at any other nurseries but was told the trees won't be ready until Sept/Oct of this year. I've been wondering why nearly all nurseries only carry the older varieties like Christmas, Bradenton, Champagne, etc when there are better varieties out there. $:-\$

Galka · « **Reply #17 on:** April 15, 2018, 02:28:58 AM »

My trees were grafted by Adam. Three trees two-in-one. The trees are not big but all of them flowered last year. I had a chance to taste only Avri and Vista. They were delicious. Sorry, no cuttings of these two. I am going to prune the other ones since they don't have any fruit on and they need a 'haircut'.

buddy roo · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2018, 03:06:31 PM »

Hi Galka, can you send scions to CA.?? i am looking for Novak and Espana i can pay through paypal or trade if you like i have plenty of (Jazzy) . Patrick

Alisha · « **Reply #19 on:** April 20, 2018, 02:45:02 PM »

I ended up cutting the possible Vista White to 18" and have it in my shadehouse. I'm still searching for locals selling small loquat seedling, I may have a source coming through in the next week or two. I'll update when I finally have something in hand to graft on to.

Lory · « **Reply #20 on:** May 25, 2018, 08:15:26 AM »

No offence but...... that seedling looks so leggy, ethiolated and emaciated that i can hardly believe those people can SELL this kind of stuff!
Eat some loquat fruits and grow your HEALTHY seedlings then graft them when they are big enough

Alisha · « **Reply #21 on:** May 25, 2018, 08:54:05 AM »

Quote from: Lory on May 25, 2018, 08:15:26 AM

No offence but...... that seedling looks so leggy, ethiolated and emaciated that i can hardly believe those people can SELL this kind of stuff!
Eat some loquat fruits and grow your HEALTHY seedlings then graft them when they are big enough

I cut it down to 18 inches over a month ago. It's branching very nicely now.

Lory · « **Reply #22 on:** May 26, 2018, 02:31:02 AM »

well done! Take good care of it, water and fertilize regularly, check soil and pot size....it will surprise you

greenman62 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 26, 2018, 11:55:08 AM »

i grafted a couple of my trees.
i have to say the fruit from my large tree is as good as the graft selection.
the seed-grown is a bit more acidic, but just as sweet.
the fruit "quality" seems to be better on the grafted variety.
(each fruit ripened perfectly, no blemishes etc...)
i didnt see much difference in seed to fruit ratio, or even size.

that said, all the grafts took (8 total i think)
and i am not an expert grafter.
i really like the fact they ripen at different times.

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Author Topic: Loquat Seedling or Cutting? (Read 4452 times)