Loquat Tree (Eriobotrya Japonica)

Here is a Loquat Tree (Eriobotrya japonica) that I stumbled across in Old Town Folsom while reading a response to my post on the Bronze Loquat Tree (Eriobotrya deflexa), serendipitous? Here, it is not used as a street tree, but its close. It has already bloomed and the clusters of fruit are forming. It has a nice multi-trunked form to it, the leaves are not as glossy and there is no bronze new foliage.

It has smooth bark too, but a darker grey with brown and at times almost velvety in appearance. This specimen has had some poor pruning in the past, and maybe some physical damage from an accident? They can get fire blight, but it’s not a common problem.

It really does have a beautiful branching structure, and I love the mottled bark. The leaves are larger than the Bronze Loquat, and very leathery

The fruit in clusters will grow to about the size of Apricots, yellow to orange in color and have very large seeds inside. I have seen them volunteer in many gardens and suspect that is how many of them get planted. This tree would make an even worse urban street tree than the Bronze Loquat because it has all of the same problems plus very messy fruit that would require cleanup. It would probably attract rodents, as I have seen this in very overgrown gardens. But in the right place (not over paving, or in a lawn) I wouldn’t hesitate to plant either one of these trees.