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Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: BonsaiBeast on January 13, 2018, 01:33:41 AM

Title: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: BonsaiBeast on January 13, 2018, 01:33:41 AM
so far my options are big jim or golden nugget.

Which one produces more? Which tastes better?
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Jose Spain on January 13, 2018, 04:19:12 AM
In Spain the best variety is Tanaka, big fruits, delicious. It produces around 15 days later than most of cv. I don't know if you have this one in USA though.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: simon_grow on January 13, 2018, 11:43:42 AM
The late season Big Jim’s are the best tasting loquat I have tried out of about 10-15 varieties including a few seedling selections from Jim Neitzel’s yard. The early season Big Jims are bland, sort of on the tart side but the late season fruit are very sweet, almost no tart but with just the perfect acid balance. Some people may want to pick the late season Fruit slightly early so that there is more acidity. The large chicken egg sized fruit makes the fruit more worth the effort it takes to peel.
Simon
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: buddy roo on January 13, 2018, 11:52:57 AM
you might talk to DAVE at Bonita Creek Nursery 422-2400 he has a lot of different varieties, he is only open on weekends.                           Patrick       
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Luisport on January 13, 2018, 02:47:45 PM
In Spain the best variety is Tanaka, big fruits, delicious. It produces around 15 days later than most of cv. I don't know if you have this one in USA though.
Hello my friend, do you know any Spanish nursery that sells them? Thank's!
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Jose Spain on January 13, 2018, 03:11:28 PM
Quote
Hello my friend, do you know any Spanish nursery that sells them? Thank's!


Si, eu comprei o meu Tanaka aqui: http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html (http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html) Boa planta e bom preço.

Anyway I'll prune mine several times this year (it's still in formation) so if anybody needs scions I should have by the end of this spring.

Golden Nugget is considered a middle quality variety here. Big Jim dind't appear at this side of the ocean as far as I know.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Jose Spain on January 13, 2018, 03:12:21 PM
.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Luisport on January 13, 2018, 06:06:49 PM
Quote
Hello my friend, do you know any Spanish nursery that sells them? Thank's!


Si, eu comprei o meu Tanaka aqui: http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html (http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html) Boa planta e bom preço.

Anyway I'll prune mine several times this year (it's still in formation) so if anybody needs scions I should have by the end of this spring.

Golden Nugget is considered a middle quality variety here. Big Jim dind't appear at this side of the ocean as far as I know.
Thank you very much my friend! Do you think that Tanaka variety is best than Peluche? Thank's!
https://www.canarius.com/en/plants/eriobotrya-japonica-cv-peluche.html (https://www.canarius.com/en/plants/eriobotrya-japonica-cv-peluche.html)
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: joehewitt on January 13, 2018, 06:29:11 PM
I'm not a Loquat expert but I have explored this question in the past. Some varieties that came highly recommended were Avri, Vista White, Macbeth, Sugar Crisp and Argelino. I haven't tasted any so I am just passing on others opinions here.

The best Loquat I've ever tasted came from an unidentified street tree in Berkeley, CA - I plan to propagate it this year.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Vernmented on January 13, 2018, 06:49:58 PM
I hear good things about Strawberry but I haven't tasted it or found scion wood yet. Bradenton is one of the better ones I have tried. You always see the massive loquats in Japan but I wonder how the flavor is and if they thin the entire panicle to one fruit to maximize size.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: marklee on January 13, 2018, 08:22:11 PM
Ben Poirer in San Diego county has what he calls a "strawberry". I grafted one a few year ago but haven't had the fruit yet.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Guanabanus on January 13, 2018, 10:02:53 PM
'Yehuda' and 'Bradenton' are excellent ones available here in Florida.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: venturabananas on January 13, 2018, 11:26:46 PM
Both Big Jim and MacBeth were mentioned.  Those are the only two I'm growing, and they are both excellent, though I'd choose MacBeth if I could only have one.  It is a much smaller, more manageable tree than the Big Jim tree, which is a beast that requires multiple rounds of pruning each year to keep the fruit within harvestable height.  The other knocks against Big Jim for me are (1) it is inconsistent in fruit set from year to year and (2) it took years from planting until it flowered and set its first crop.  MacBeth has been very consistent and produced fruit the first year in ground from a 5 gallon pot.  As for flavor, which one I prefer varies from year to year, I presume based on that year's weather or how I've treated them.  Both can make very large fruit if they are thinned.  Personally, I'm removing Big Jim from my yard because it is too much work for too little reward compared to MacBeth.  Keep in mind, that experience is based on only a single tree of each variety.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Jose Spain on January 14, 2018, 04:22:03 AM
Quote
Hello my friend, do you know any Spanish nursery that sells them? Thank's!


Si, eu comprei o meu Tanaka aqui: http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html (http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html) Boa planta e bom preço.

Anyway I'll prune mine several times this year (it's still in formation) so if anybody needs scions I should have by the end of this spring.

Golden Nugget is considered a middle quality variety here. Big Jim dind't appear at this side of the ocean as far as I know.
Thank you very much my friend! Do you think that Tanaka variety is best than Peluche? Thank's!
https://www.canarius.com/en/plants/eriobotrya-japonica-cv-peluche.html (https://www.canarius.com/en/plants/eriobotrya-japonica-cv-peluche.html)

Peluches is an average one, far from Tanaka, it's closer to Argelino. All of them ripen in different weeks, so it's interesting to have that in mind. Better than Argelino and Peluches is your Portuguese variety Rolhao II, that ripens about the same time than the former. According to this pdf, it's excellent: http://www.publicacionescajamar.es/pdf/series-tematicas/centros-experimentales-las-palmerillas/innovacion-en-el-cultivo-del-nispero.pdf (http://www.publicacionescajamar.es/pdf/series-tematicas/centros-experimentales-las-palmerillas/innovacion-en-el-cultivo-del-nispero.pdf) I'd like to find it to make the season longer with top tier varieties.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Luisport on January 14, 2018, 04:31:11 AM
Quote
Hello my friend, do you know any Spanish nursery that sells them? Thank's!


Si, eu comprei o meu Tanaka aqui: http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html (http://tienda.agrologica.es/comprar-planta-vivero-frutales/496-nispero-tanaka.html) Boa planta e bom preço.

Anyway I'll prune mine several times this year (it's still in formation) so if anybody needs scions I should have by the end of this spring.

Golden Nugget is considered a middle quality variety here. Big Jim dind't appear at this side of the ocean as far as I know.
Thank you very much my friend! Do you think that Tanaka variety is best than Peluche? Thank's!
https://www.canarius.com/en/plants/eriobotrya-japonica-cv-peluche.html (https://www.canarius.com/en/plants/eriobotrya-japonica-cv-peluche.html)

Peluches is a good one, but I think not as good as Tanaka, it's closer to Argelino. All of them ripen in different weeks, so it's interesting to have that in mind. Better than Argelino and Peluches is your Portuguese variety Rolhao II, that ripens about the same time than the former. According to this pdf, it's excellent: http://www.publicacionescajamar.es/pdf/series-tematicas/centros-experimentales-las-palmerillas/innovacion-en-el-cultivo-del-nispero.pdf (http://www.publicacionescajamar.es/pdf/series-tematicas/centros-experimentales-las-palmerillas/innovacion-en-el-cultivo-del-nispero.pdf) I'd like to find it to make the season longer with top tier varieties.
Thank you very much my friend, i have to big loquaq trees but they are a bit acid. My wife don't like them and deman me to take them down!  ;D
So i will get two top variety trees...
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Jose Spain on January 14, 2018, 04:43:41 AM
Good luck with them. A good loquat in its point of ripeness for me is one of the best fruits. I found more info about Peluches, is an average variety regarding flavor. If you find Rolhao II let me know!
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Luisport on January 14, 2018, 08:15:51 AM
Good luck with them. A good loquat in its point of ripeness for me is one of the best fruits. I found more info about Peluches, is an average variety regarding flavor. If you find Rolhao II let me know!
Ok i will tell you!  ;D
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: greenman62 on January 14, 2018, 03:15:56 PM
i have 4 trees
3 from seed, and 1 i found from a large tree in New Orleans French Quater,
 in front of an old antebellum (expensive) home.
i am hoping that one will be a superior fruit.
this is the first year they are all flowering.

i had grafted a couple of scions last year, but only 1 took
so, i have lots of room for more.

i will be looking for scions in a couple of months.
any cultivar would be helpful.

when is best to graft ?
just after danger of last frost is passed ??


this is the smallest one.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/4562nip3p/loq-bak-g.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/4562nip3p/)

this one is the largest. pic is from August.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/mkqjl1l9h/loq.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/mkqjl1l9h/)

large one again.
Dec pic, after my Baobab lost its leaves.
(https://s18.postimg.cc/petoyial1/loq-guav-myer-baobob.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/petoyial1/)
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: behlgarden on April 19, 2019, 04:18:22 PM
For the first time after 6 yrs my big Jim is producing big fruits. Crop is 50% of last year but huge nuggets.

(https://i.postimg.cc/B8Xgn2PD/20190418-193030.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/B8Xgn2PD)
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: achetadomestica on April 19, 2019, 05:44:42 PM
For the first time after 6 yrs my big Jim is producing big fruits. Crop is 50% of last year but huge nuggets.

(https://i.postimg.cc/B8Xgn2PD/20190418-193030.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/B8Xgn2PD)
Do they taste different/better this year?
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: simon_grow on April 19, 2019, 05:45:45 PM
Nice fruit Behl!

For those of you having trouble with Big Jim, are you watering and fertilizing properly giving your tree a dry period before flowering? My Big Jim produced when it was a small tree and has produced well every year, ever since. Due to its heavy fruiting, it has not grown much. It has been in the ground about 6-7 years and is about 6-7 feet tall at its highest point and has a similar width.

Most Loquat grow vigorously here in SoCal, I have not noticed that Big Jim is any more vigorous.

Simon
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: simon_grow on April 19, 2019, 05:47:24 PM
This years Loquats have been very bland for most of SoCal because of the weekly rains.

Simon
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: behlgarden on April 19, 2019, 06:09:21 PM
Mine are very flavorful. It has not rained in 6 plus weeks and this is where these sized up 50% and now ripening.

My tree is also 7 yrs in ground and about 7-8 feet tall. Very nice shape without pruning.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Johnny Redland on April 21, 2019, 01:02:22 PM
How difficult is it to graft loquat? Would a standard cleft or veneer graft work? I have a golden nugget that I’d like to top work
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: behlgarden on April 21, 2019, 02:36:47 PM
I have done cleft and veneee
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Guanabanus on April 21, 2019, 07:16:31 PM
Top-cleft grafting loquats with leafy scions is one of the easier types of plant to graft.  Almost as easy as White-Sapote grafting.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Forgot on October 13, 2019, 10:52:21 AM
Taking advantage of this thread of conversation in which they are talking about the varieties of this beautiful fruit that is the nispero I would like to consult something related to this.

Is there any difference to prune one variety or another of nispero? I do gardening and a client has consulted me, and the truth escapes my knowledge. I have been looking for information on the subject but I have only found articles that speak in a general way about pruning (a clear example is that of this post that explains quite generally how to trim any loquat tree (https://howandwhentoprune.com/loquat-tree/))

I hope your help, I have already thrown this query in several forums and I have not obtained great results. I hope this is the right forum. :)
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Oolie on October 13, 2019, 02:20:47 PM
Taking advantage of this thread of conversation in which they are talking about the varieties of this beautiful fruit that is the nispero I would like to consult something related to this.

Is there any difference to prune one variety or another of nispero? I do gardening and a client has consulted me, and the truth escapes my knowledge. I have been looking for information on the subject but I have only found articles that speak in a general way about pruning (a clear example is that of this post that explains quite generally how to trim any loquat tree (https://howandwhentoprune.com/loquat-tree/))

I hope your help, I have already thrown this query in several forums and I have not obtained great results. I hope this is the right forum. :)

Thanks for the link.

Loquats in our region are quite vigorous and responsive to pruning. They can be pruned in most ways, and will adapt well in most cases. I have seen ones trained into a beautiful fence in Coronado.

In Argentina, I would judge their ability to cope with pruning by tracking vigor of known trees in the area. If they show substantial vigor, and lack of disease (fireblight is the big one here), then most pruning techniques should be effective.

They produce pannicles on new growth similar to mangoes, so that would be a good reference if you're looking to promote production and ease of harvest. If you're doing it for landscaping, they do respond well to shaping (whitewashing exposed branches may be necessary).


You always see the massive loquats in Japan but I wonder how the flavor is and if they thin the entire panicle to one fruit to maximize size.

I've been to the farms, they do thin to one per pannicle. The fruit are very large and the flavor is on par with the better varieties I have tried stateside. Jim Nietzel had one called 'Chinadoll' that had received glowing reviews. I have found a seedling with rich syrupy taste. There's lots of variety in the local seedlings.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Bush2Beach on October 14, 2019, 11:47:28 AM
I am looking for China doll and have alot of other cultivars to trade. Thanks!
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: PlantHoarder on October 15, 2019, 10:57:32 PM
I have a Japanese Loquat but it's too young to make fruit yet and also haven't enough experience in this area. All I know is I had to pick something that should be hardy down to zone 7-ish and I was told this was.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: FV Fruit Freak on November 04, 2019, 02:28:08 AM
Nice fruit Behl!

For those of you having trouble with Big Jim, are you watering and fertilizing properly giving your tree a dry period before flowering? My Big Jim produced when it was a small tree and has produced well every year, ever since. Due to its heavy fruiting, it has not grown much. It has been in the ground about 6-7 years and is about 6-7 feet tall at its highest point and has a similar width.

Most Loquat grow vigorously here in SoCal, I have not noticed that Big Jim is any more vigorous.

Simon



Hey Simon do you grow your loquat tree as a bush or tree? Thanks.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Tropheus76 on November 04, 2019, 08:51:27 AM
Loquats are one of my favorite trees. Completely ignored them when growing up and most people on my little island in GA along the border of SC don't even know they are edible, and several varieties grow like weeds, mostly from seeds. I like Sherry and Champaign varieties personally even though I cant keep them alive for some reason in FL(gold nugget and big Jim grow great). I was there for an extended period staying with my parents for an operation before retiring from military and noticed all the loquats growing wild everywhere. Its a magical island, would have made a great multi-crop plantation if you could have gotten it back before it was a neighborhood. Figs and citrus grow insanely well. As do other things like loquats. Talking one of my neighbors had a three story tree blocking his view of the water that he cut down, I got some seedlings off that if the deer would leave them alone :P

Now I haven't been too impressed with the taste compared to Sherry but they aren't bad. But my dad and his hunter friends, once I informed them they were in fact edible started collecting bags of these fruits and sit there and work on their projects munching down on them and saving seeds. Now they have started seeding their hunting sites. One of his friends owns a few hundred acres a bit inland and has planted hundreds of them around his hunting cabin. They have spread them as well to some of the barrier islands which are already infested with Iberian pigs. Be interesting to see in a few years. Also a neat if inefficient method of getting new varieties. One we found near the D&R dock had huge leaves compared to the already normal large loquat leaves, talking foot long leaves.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: simon_grow on November 04, 2019, 06:41:50 PM
I grow my Loquat as a tree. The heavy fruiting on my tree seems to take away a lot of its vigor. I also top worked several branches of my Loquat which seems to have slowed it down even more.

Simon
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: All the fruit on November 04, 2019, 10:25:17 PM
Already posted this elsewhere but the best Loquats i have ever eaten were from a seedling of a Brazilian fruit growing in Germany and producing fruit regularly despite the cold climate. This year it produced over 80 kg of huge, tasty fruits:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gqMsqexWF_U
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: Oolie on November 04, 2019, 10:56:51 PM
Already posted this elsewhere but the best Loquats i have ever eaten were from a seedling of a Brazilian fruit growing in Germany and producing fruit regularly despite the cold climate. This year it produced over 80 kg of huge, tasty fruits:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gqMsqexWF_U

Very productive white-fleshed loquat.

It would be interesting to see if the size increases appreciably with thinning and if the flesh to seed ration remains the same or improves.

I still think it's a Mizuho grandchild.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: All the fruit on November 05, 2019, 12:31:19 PM
In most years thinning was not necessary because it produced few fruit which were not significantly larger. But all the other loquats in town fruit once in 10 years so this one is by far the best tree. And the biggest and most beautiful, too.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: ammoun on November 05, 2019, 04:00:42 PM
Already posted this elsewhere but the best Loquats i have ever eaten were from a seedling of a Brazilian fruit growing in Germany and producing fruit regularly despite the cold climate. This year it produced over 80 kg of huge, tasty fruits:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gqMsqexWF_U

That's a fat fleshy one! I am surprised to see it growing in Germany, did the owner start it from seed?
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: All the fruit on November 05, 2019, 08:17:58 PM
Yes, the seed was from Brazil.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: beicadad on November 05, 2019, 08:55:12 PM
I grow my Loquat as a tree. The heavy fruiting on my tree seems to take away a lot of its vigor. I also top worked several branches of my Loquat which seems to have slowed it down even more.

Simon

Simon I think your loquat tree is stunted. My three loquat trees all thrive in really bad, clay type soil and fruiting has not slowed them down at all. It could be that your soil is even worse for loquat.
Title: Re: What is the best variety of loquat?
Post by: simon_grow on November 05, 2019, 09:20:36 PM
Yeah, I’d have to agree with you. My soil is horrible and I don’t water or fertilize my tree much. It is also competing with a tremendous amount of weeds.

On years which I actually water and fertilize appropriately, I get huge fruit.
This link has pictures of my Big Jim fruits, larger than a chicken egg.
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=19882.0 (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=19882.0)

Simon