Best Tasting Loquats For 2022 Season

[sc4001992]

Does anyone have suggestions for the best tasting loquats they have eaten in 2022..

It would be good to hear from loquat growers which loquat variety they grow that was their best tasting for 2022 season. It will be another few months before all the fruits are ripe for evaluation so as you eat the fruits, post photos of your best tasting ones and update as other varieties ripen on your trees.

Please include the following information when you post so it will make it easy for readers to get the details below:

1. Mention your location (country, state) so others who live in similar areas would know that your favorite tasting loquat grows well in that specific location.

2. If you can take a few photos to post of your best tasting fruit as they ripen, so you can continue to update your best tasting (if they do not ripen at the same time) until all your varieties are ripe and done for this season.

3. Describe why you think it tastes so great, it would be good information for others that may not have eaten that variety. Some people like the very sweet fruits while others like the sweet with some tartness (personal preference of course).

[LinT]

Hi, I'm searching for a loquat tree that produces very large but sweet fruit. Is Big Jim yellow a good candidate? I live in Florida Panhandle, Zone 9a. :oquat grows very fast here. but tends to be short lived because of fungus problem due to coastal humid wet weather.

Lin Tung

[sc4001992]

Now that most of my loquats on my multi-graft tree (74 varieties on one tree) is getting ripe, I will start picking the fruits and takes some photos. I will not rate them since everyone seems to have their favorite tasting loquats. Instead, what I will do is, as I pick a handfull of different varieties, I will compare the ones in the group and rank them in groups. I will try to overlap the varieties I compare so you should be able to determine which ones I liked the best for my taste..

Today I have picked the following:
-Peluche, not ripe yet, actually fell off when I was taking photos on the tree.
-Argelino
-Big Jim (orange flesh), my standard reference of a top tier loquat fruit (my tree is over 30yrs old)
-Christmas
-Imperiale
-Shorepointe

1.My location is Southern Calif, Fullerton/Placentia, zone 10b
2. Photos below showing some fruits on my tree, others after being picked and taste test performed.
3. I grouped these fruits into group1 (Imperiale, Big Jim, Christmas, Peluche) and group2 (Argelino, Big Jim, Christmas, Shorepointe)

Group 1: Result
    So far, the best in group1 is Imperiale. Taste is very sweet, no acid/tartness at all.
    I like Big Jim but the Imperiale is sweeter so it wins in this group comparision.

Addtional Comments:
1) Christmas - taste mildly sweet, more watery than the Big Jim.
2) Imperiale has an unique flavor, not just very sweet. Similar to KT8_Sheri_Lynn


Group 2: Result
    Big Jim and Shorepointe was a tie, both tasted excellent, very sweet, no acid/tartness.
    I will need to eat more of these fruits and try to give a description of their differences.

===================

[sc4001992]

Lin, you should wait until more people posts their favorite tasting/best one for the 2022 season.
Once more data is posted from people who grow loquats in various parts of the country, then you should be able to look up your location and determine if the particular variety is something you would like to grow.

The intent of my post here is to ask anyone who is growing loquats to give their feedback on their best tasting loquat for 2022 season..

[sc4001992]

Updated with more loquat photos above for Argelino and Imperiale.

[JCorte]

Kaz,

Does the Imperiale usually have a single seed?  If you account for how many seeds the Big Jim gets, I wonder if it’s flesh to seed ratio still makes it one of the biggest.  Were all those seeds in your picture for Peluche from one fruit?  I thought they were touted as having biggest fruits with less seed.  When I grow out my seedlings, small, less seeds is something I would like to select for.

Janet

[fruit4me]

Just discovered a seedling loquat tree growing in LA with high percentage of single seed fruits. Extra large fruits do get up to four seeds though. Fruits are just starting to sweeten up. Very juicy and meaty .

Here's a pic of an average size fruit  with single seed

[sc4001992]

To reply on the Peluche seeds, I don't know how many the average fruit has. The one I show in my taste test had the amount of seeds I showed in the photo.

Max, nice new white flesh seedling loquat you found. It should get sweeter when it ripens more. I just noticed today that I have 3 new seedling trees with ripe fruits and they are very good. All three of my new seedling loquats have the white flesh, I will need to assign a number to them and give them a name since they are keepers for me.

[fruit4me]

Here's some more fruits , it's not fully ripe yet. It will get more orange yellow.

[Satya]

Kaz, have you ever tried Champagne from Zill? My wife refuses to eat any other loquats, lol, saying it's the best tasting one ever (she hasn't tasted many, haha), but from descriptions it's very different from all the other varieties...
The taste is bubbly, like tonic water, or sweet lemonade/kombucha, not fermented though but extremely fresh tasting? I wonder how it is even possible for a fruit? So the name pretty much describes it. It's more acidic than the varieties you describe but this acidity is very well balanced by the "bubbliness" and citrusy & candy notes. It's fruited for me twice and every time reliably the same awesome taste, but smallish size.

[sc4001992]

Satya,

Yes, I have Champane, a small 5 gallon tree which fruited, and many grafted on my multi-grafted tree. The first fruits on the 5 gallon tree was not that impressive so I did not taste the good things you mention here, maybe next season. I only tasted 3-4 fruits from the tree.

I liked the Christmas fruits much better, it has larger fruits and tastes very good.

Next season I will need to look for the flavor and bubbly taste you mentioned. Maybe it tastes good in Florida but not as good here in Calif. It will be interesting to hear from others here that grow Champagne and hear how they describe the taste of their fruits.

[Satya]

Maybe it tastes good in Florida but not as good here in Calif. It will be interesting to hear from others here that grow Champagne and hear how they describe the taste of their fruits.

quite possible, my Big Jim first fruits weren't good taste-wise at all. Our soils are very different so they must be picking up different nutrients for the different tastes. If you don't get the bubbliness in yours next season, I will ship you some fruit i think it's very much worth trying.

[sc4001992]

I have more photos and taste test results from my loquat tree that I will be posting soon.

I purchased a Vee Gee Scientific BX-1 Handheld Refractometer so now I can take some Brix reading on the varieties I have. This refractometer scale goes from 0-32% so it should work fine for loquats. I made some measurements of 20+ varieties so I will make a table and post the results.

[sc4001992]

Satya, ok, sounds good and I will send you my best tasting Big Jim fruits next season.

The Big Jim (orange flesh) tree has two very distinct type of fruits on my tree that I have noticed. Some of the big fruits may look good but they are egg shaped (eliptical), large and sweet with some acidic taste. The ones that are the best tasting are the ones that are round and do not get as large as the others. These round shaped fruits get dark orange skin and has smaller seeds in them, tastes great.

[Satya]

Satya, ok, sounds good and I will send you my best tasting Big Jim fruits next season.

👌🏻

The Big Jim (orange flesh) tree has two very distinct type of fruits on my tree that I have noticed. Some of the big fruits may look good but they are egg shaped (eliptical), large and sweet with some acidic taste. The ones that are the best tasting are the ones that are round and do not get as large as the others. These round shaped fruits get dark orange skin and has smaller seeds in them, tastes great.

interesting, mine wasn't acidic but the taste was just nothing to write home about. Don't know how to describe it better 

[joe_OC]

I was hoping this topic would be coming up.  I really enjoy loquats and have a couple of Big Jim seedlings.  I wanted to know which varieties I should be grafting on them this year.

[sc4001992]

Joe,

Check out my special loquat scionwood deal. You need to place your order before I run out.
Both the Vista White and KT1-Kosmic have white flesh, KT1 is more yellow flesh, and tastes very good. I'm having a special deal now so you can get 5 cuttings for $5 plus shipping.

Kaz

[joe_OC]

Kaz - Is this a good time to graft?  I thought you should not graft when trees are pushing?

[sc4001992]

Joe, I graft my loquats any time I get new scions to add to my collection. Most of these fruit trees are best to graft in spring but loquats are pretty easy to graft and will do fine most of the months (Jan-Oct).

[Viking Guy]

Kaz - Is this a good time to graft?  I thought you should not graft when trees are pushing?

Only time you should not graft loquats is when they're holding active flowers or if the average temperature is under 5 C (41 F), or above 40 C (104 F) below 50% humidity / 37 C (98~ F) above 50% humidity. However, in hot temps, protection may be added to prevail successfully. If there are active flowers, refrigerate your cuttings until the fruit sets.

All other times throughout the year, grafting is acceptable.

The best time during the year to graft is immediately following fruit drop.

[snowjunky]

Best time to graft loquat in Phoenix is anytime after Halloween, but before Valentine's Day.  New growth in April will not survive for long even in the shade.

[snowjunky]

Here's my first harvest of Kanko.  Large size, thick meaty flesh and very good flavor. 
The tree is productive and can handle the Phoenix summers like Big Jim and Argelino, not get fried and die like Champagne and Christmas.





The guava is from a seedling tree I got from Exotica Nursery.  It produces fruit two or three times a year. 
The guavas are very sweet and flavorful with some acidity when they are still hard and crunchy like an apple. 
They are even sweeter when they ripen and get soft.  The guavas vary in size and shape from egg size to orange size and round, oval and pear shapes. 
The tree is very vigorous and has big leaves.  It is also a bit more cold hardy than my other guavas trees.

[sc4001992]

Steve, I'm impressed with your Kanko loquat fruits, wow, that's a lot of fruits in one bundle!

The only loquats I have with that many one one branch/cluster is the China White, excellent white flesh loquat. Now it is one of my favorites besides my seedling tree and another one called Big Steve (from O.C. crfg).

[snowjunky]

What? Big Steve doesn't sound right.  Is it better than Big Jim?
How's China white compared to Vista White in taste and size?

[sc4001992]

Steve, yes Big Steve is from a person who grew a seedling in southern calif, it might be new Huntington Beach (maybe?). I bought this small plant at our Greenscene at CSUF where the CRFGs have a both and sell fruit trees. It tastes better than Big Jims White (white flesh version from Jim N.). Big Steve is in the top 5 on my taste test, I will be posting more photos later, been busy last week with issues with water heater replacement.

China White is one of the top 3 from all of the 43 varieties I have tested this season. I will post more photos and results later when I get time. Also started documenting the Brix reading for the better tasting loquats. At the end of this post, or when the loquats are all finished, I will post my chart with all the Brix reading. Since my China White grafted branches are only 2 years old, the fruit size may not be representative of the variety yet, but I can tell you the tastes is excellent and that will not get worse over time. Vista White fruits on my tree is consistently a medium to large fruits (63 grams) but I don't know why others have said their Vista White fruits are small. I may have a bud mutation so maybe I should keep it around a little longer. As I cut my tree down, I will isolate the branches with the larger fruits.

[sc4001992]

Here's some recent photos I took of the Vista White loquat, I may need to move up the rating on this guy. All of you who are on the advance list when I cut this tree down will know the type of fruits you will get. The Vista White fruit is different from all of the white flesh varieties. The flesh is sweet, fluffy, texture is unique. You will not find another loquat with this type of texture. Reminds me of a fluffy pound cake. Skin is very thin, fruits are roundish, like a gold nugget mandarin (odd shape round).

As I mentioned earlier, there seems to be two distinct fruits that I get on this large tree, these neat looking fruits and another type which is not as large, skin is smooth. The larger fruits shown below has some peach fuzz but both tastes great. Only these fruits shown have the unique texture. It's a must have for any loquat collector. My tree is over 30yrs old.

[snowjunky]

Looks delish!  I can't wait to see your test results.

[sc4001992]

All my loquats are pretty much done now. I will wait a few weeks more and no one else has any more loquat fruits for this year to provide comments on best tasting then I will post the rest of my taste comparisons.

As I mentioned, I started to take Brix reading a month into the fruits ripening for me so I didn't get to record all my varieties. I will say that the lowest Brix reading for 10 and today I tasted the highest Brix reading fruit of 23.

Brix of 23 is very high, it does appear that most of the time, when I do the group comparison the ones with the highest brix seems to come in top of the list for best tasting.

[mbmango]

Didn't get a single fruit this year, so hoping to live vicariously through any updates here

[snowjunky]

All my loquats are pretty much done now. I will wait a few weeks more and no one else has any more loquat fruits for this year to provide comments on best tasting then I will post the rest of my taste comparisons.

As I mentioned, I started to take Brix reading a month into the fruits ripening for me so I didn't get to record all my varieties. I will say that the lowest Brix reading for 10 and today I tasted the highest Brix reading fruit of 23.

Brix of 23 is very high, it does appear that most of the time, when I do the group comparison the ones with the highest brix seems to come in top of the list for best tasting.

Hey Kaz, we're ready for you best tasting loquat report 

[sc4001992]

It's to difficult to list the best tasting since everyone's taste is different, some like it sweet and tart, others like it very sweet only.

But I will post some group taste tests I did, and also a preliminary brix reading for the ones I had time to take the readings. Next year I should be able to update the brix table and hope to get a reading from most of my varieties if they all have fruits next summer (78 varieties).

[sc4001992]

Here's the preliminary Brix reading I made in May 2022. I didn't have my brix meter until May so I was not able to take brix readings of some of my varieties.

One note on Big Jim White, I had only 2 fruits and when i made the brix reading the fruits were overripe and wrinkled.

[johnb51]

It's to difficult to list the best tasting since everyone's taste is different, some like it sweet and tart, others like it very sweet only.

But I will post some group taste tests I did, and also a preliminary brix reading for the ones I had time to take the readings. Next year I should be able to update the brix table and hope to get a reading from most of my varieties if they all have fruits next summer (78 varieties).

But if the topic is "Best Tasting Loquats,"  shouldn't we at least get someone's opinion?

[mbmango]

Interesting data.  Were the KT06 and KT23 getting overripe also? 

[sc4001992]

John, the brix table is just a FYI reference, not showing which one is the best tasting. Some people like to know what the sugar content is on fruits, so I decided to add this table while I was doing my taste test. I have some other group taste test photos that I need to gather so I can post here later.

mbmango, the KT06 & KT23 had many fruits and the brix reading is accurate, it registered very high. I tested many fruits to be sure. It will be interesting to see the same test next year when most of these varieties should be at least second year fruits. My Kt06 & KT23 trees are large but just had fruits for the first time in 2022.

This year I only tasted fruits from 43 varieties but next year I hope to taste most of my 78 varieties if they all fruit on my mult-grafted tree.

[Saone]

non related loquat question. Do loquats grow decent in sub tropical/tropical areas? Live in a sub tropical are with temps between 5c to 40c and wondering if they will do well in my climate.

[grant5185]

Great post.  So helpful to those of us just learning about loquats

[sc4001992]

FYI, I have started a new post on the loquats ripening for 2023 but I will also continue this post to update the results of the 2023 loquat taste comparison. Mainly will be a table of the loquat varieties that ripened for me this year and the brix reading for it.

[hammer524]

I purchased a "HoneyQuat" from lara farms today. My peluche died last month

I'll report back with this new find

https://larafarmsmiami.com/products/untitled-sep5_16-22

[sc4001992]

Sounds interesting, but it's just another seedling loquat, hope the fruits are as good as they describe it. I wonder why there is no photos of the fruit or the cut open flesh showing the inside nector juice oozing out.

[hammer524]

Sounds interesting, but it's just another seedling loquat, hope the fruits are as good as they describe it. I wonder why there is no photos of the fruit or the cut open flesh showing the inside nector juice oozing out.

Good point, guess i'll have to take his word.

[sc4001992]

Well, I just hope it is grafted from a fruiting tree so it will only take 2 years before you get fruits, otherwise it might take longer to see fruits.

[JCorte]

From all the interviews I've heard, Julian is always on the lookout for great fruit varieties.  He and his nursery have a long standing reputation, seems unlikely he would market and sell something that wasn't good.  Anytime I've had an issue with anything I've ordered, he's given me a full refund.

Whether something will taste as good grown outside of Florida under different conditions is a whole other consideration.

Great varieties can me found from "just another seedling."   I'm planting out hundreds of seedlings myself, and Kaz found what he considers his best varieties from seeds. 

From his description he's selling grafted trees from the fruiting variety he tasted.

Janet

[hipasfolk]

I purchased a "HoneyQuat" from lara farms today. My peluche died last month

I'll report back with this new find

https://larafarmsmiami.com/products/untitled-sep5_16-22

That also caught my eye when I was looking for something else and I ended up ordering one as well!

[hammer524]

From all the interviews I've heard, Julian is always on the lookout for great fruit varieties.  He and his nursery have a long standing reputation, seems unlikely he would market and sell something that wasn't good.  Anytime I've had an issue with anything I've ordered, he's given me a full refund.

Whether something will taste as good grown outside of Florida under different conditions is a whole other consideration.

Great varieties can me found from "just another seedling."   I'm planting out hundreds of seedlings myself, and Kaz found what he considers his best varieties from seeds. 

From his description he's selling grafted trees from the fruiting variety he tasted.


Janet

For me I had an issue with an order and it was like pulling teeth to get a refund. Can't really complain about customer service while ordering out of state to AZ.

[JCorte]

Hammer524, did you end up getting your refund?  There were 3 occasions where I was issued a refund.  I spoke with Julian directly and he refunded me immediately each time, one time was for sending me a 1 gallon instead of the 3 gallon size I ordered.  I got to keep the 1 gallon for free.

Hope the Honeyquat turns out to be a good one, he's already sold out.  I didn't get one but am interested to hear from others their assessment when it fruits.

Janet

[hammer524]

Hammer524, did you end up getting your refund?  There were 3 occasions where I was issued a refund.  I spoke with Julian directly and he refunded me immediately each time, one time was for sending me a 1 gallon instead of the 3 gallon size I ordered.  I got to keep the 1 gallon for free.

Hope the Honeyquat turns out to be a good one, he's already sold out.  I didn't get one but am interested to hear from others their assessment when it fruits.

Janet

So in August 2022 I emailed him about a box of guava fruit that I paid for and never received. Never heard back from him.

Then in March 2023 I received a Lemon Zest 1g instead of a PPK 1g. Emailed him and he responded say Ill send out a return label for the Lemon Zest and send out a PPK on monday.
Followed up with emails in April, May, June but never received a label or a PPK.

I was like whatever, Lemon zest is supposed to be great on the west coast and PPK is my fave mango. Thinking I was gonna keep it since i never heard back prior. Decided to buy a 3 gallon PPK from him. But I received a 1 gallon PPK
Sent him another email about the refunds which he responded to by telling me to call him, which i did.
Did not receive a refund until after 2 weeks or so from that call and had to call again for a refund. He only refunded me for the price of the guava box $35 and the difference between 1 gal and 3 gal PPK.

So $95 dollars was refunded and shipping was not refunded for either the guava box or the 3 gallon tree.
Generally I have learned with growing stuff here that its a money losing venture, trees die, and be grateful what can be shipped here.

[JCorte]

Hammer 524, sorry to hear about your experience, it's so different than mine.  The time I was sent an incorrect tree, he didn't ask me to return it and just refunded me within a couple days.

Have you tried planting out a bunch of loquat seeds to select for a better tree for your growing conditions?  I have noticed my Peluche tree doesn't seem to like full sun even in my milder climate.

I planted a grafted Peluche tree I got from Flying Fox in a full sun spot and the young leaves that have not fully hardened off get wilted looking mid-day.  I let a fig growing next to it get large enough to provide some shade and it's growing much better.  The Peluche branch grafted on my mature Big Jim is the same, it's the only variety that seems sensitive.  Once the leaves harden off, they seem okay.

I wonder if a variety that does really well in Florida is adapted to more humidity.  Do you have a partly shaded spot to plant the Honeyquat?  I hope you have better luck with it than the Peluche.

Janet

[hammer524]

Hammer 524, sorry to hear about your experience, it's so different than mine.  The time I was sent an incorrect tree, he didn't ask me to return it and just refunded me within a couple days.

Have you tried planting out a bunch of loquat seeds to select for a better tree for your growing conditions?  I have noticed my Peluche tree doesn't seem to like full sun even in my milder climate.

I planted a grafted Peluche tree I got from Flying Fox in a full sun spot and the young leaves that have not fully hardened off get wilted looking mid-day.  I let a fig growing next to it get large enough to provide some shade and it's growing much better.  The Peluche branch grafted on my mature Big Jim is the same, it's the only variety that seems sensitive.  Once the leaves harden off, they seem okay.

I wonder if a variety that does really well in Florida is adapted to more humidity.  Do you have a partly shaded spot to plant the Honeyquat?  I hope you have better luck with it than the Peluche.

Janet

Thanks Janet. I haven't posted any real info on it but I purchased a High Sidewall greenhouse kit from Growersolution. I haven't installed electricity to get the ventilation going and I had a few mishaps with misters and construction so the greenhouse became an Oven in July. Moving forward (fingers crossed) too much heat shouldnt be a concern.