Perhaps the mild winter helped, but we have a reasonable crop of Loquats
this year. The tree (Eriobotrya japonica) is very handsome and worth
growing if you have a sunny site. Birds love to shelter under its huge
evergreen leaves on rainy days.

I've seen it growing in many places in SE London, but wonder just how
far north it is able to grow. Do any urglers grow this tree - or see it
growing - further north?
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 16/07/2014 14:27, Spider wrote:
Perhaps the mild winter helped, but we have a reasonable crop of Loquats
this year. The tree (Eriobotrya japonica) is very handsome and worth
growing if you have a sunny site. Birds love to shelter under its huge
evergreen leaves on rainy days.

I've seen it growing in many places in SE London, but wonder just how
far north it is able to grow. Do any urglers grow this tree - or see it
growing - further north?

Not really to answer your question, but I think Eriobotrya is a lot
hardier than generally believed. But that is just to survive and
produce leaves - not to flower and particularly not to produce any
fruit. I grew it (from seed when Tesco had some loquats on sale) in
Horsham from around 1986 - 94, and it survived happily. It never
flowered, and its leaves often got torn by the wind, which is perhaps
the biggest problem. I am certain the temperature some winters dropped
below -8°C. So if you want flowers and fruits, it isn't hardy, but if
you are happy with its leaves, then it is hardy.

More to your question, here is a comment from Dave's Garden
()http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2321/

"On Jun 21, 2009, FlorasGarden from BIRMINGHAM
United Kingdom wrote:

Re;(loquat) Eriobotria, encouraging flower and fruit in England.

I have a couple of really healthy, vigorous specimens, grown from seed,
that are around 7 years old, still a bit early for flowers/fruit (?) but
would love some tips on how to give them a 'nudge'.

they are beautiful little trees as they are, but it would be wonderful
to have them fruit!

I live in Central England, with a sheltered and south - facing garden,
they are very happy in their little warm spot, if anyone has any tips
for me, that would be great"

--

Jeff

On 16/07/2014 20:19, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 16/07/2014 14:27, Spider wrote:
Perhaps the mild winter helped, but we have a reasonable crop of Loquats
this year. The tree (Eriobotrya japonica) is very handsome and worth
growing if you have a sunny site. Birds love to shelter under its huge
evergreen leaves on rainy days.

I've seen it growing in many places in SE London, but wonder just how
far north it is able to grow. Do any urglers grow this tree - or see it
growing - further north?

Not really to answer your question, but I think Eriobotrya is a lot
hardier than generally believed. But that is just to survive and
produce leaves - not to flower and particularly not to produce any
fruit. I grew it (from seed when Tesco had some loquats on sale) in
Horsham from around 1986 - 94, and it survived happily. It never
flowered, and its leaves often got torn by the wind, which is perhaps
the biggest problem. I am certain the temperature some winters dropped
below -8°C. So if you want flowers and fruits, it isn't hardy, but if
you are happy with its leaves, then it is hardy.

More to your question, here is a comment from Dave's Garden
()http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2321/

"On Jun 21, 2009, FlorasGarden from BIRMINGHAM
United Kingdom wrote:

Re;(loquat) Eriobotria, encouraging flower and fruit in England.

I have a couple of really healthy, vigorous specimens, grown from seed,
that are around 7 years old, still a bit early for flowers/fruit (?) but
would love some tips on how to give them a 'nudge'.

they are beautiful little trees as they are, but it would be wonderful
to have them fruit!

I live in Central England, with a sheltered and south - facing garden,
they are very happy in their little warm spot, if anyone has any tips
for me, that would be great"




It answers my question well enough, thank you Jeff! It is interesting
to read so much about them. Our seed came from fruit eaten on one of
the Balearic Islands (I forget which), and for years we simply called
the plant "Nispero" because that is what it was called on the menu, so
it was nice to read that again as the Chilean name for it. I've also
seen it spelt "Nespero", perhaps a regional spelling.

I shall go back to that Dave's Garden link as there is so much still to
read. Thank you very much.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 16/07/2014 22:39, Spider wrote:

It answers my question well enough, thank you Jeff! It is interesting
to read so much about them. Our seed came from fruit eaten on one of
the Balearic Islands (I forget which), and for years we simply called
the plant "Nispero" because that is what it was called on the menu, so
it was nice to read that again as the Chilean name for it. I've also
seen it spelt "Nespero", perhaps a regional spelling.

I have to laugh! It's native to China (but why then "japonica"?. You
ate it in southern Europe, with a common name from South America, and
it's becoming a pest in South Africa. And we have a comment from a
grower in the UK, on a North American website.. Pretty cosmopolitan
plant, I'd say!

I shall go back to that Dave's Garden link as there is so much still to
read. Thank you very much.

There is indeed. I find the whole website quite useful - in particular
for photos.

--

Jeff

On 17/07/2014 10:09, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 16/07/2014 22:39, Spider wrote:

It answers my question well enough, thank you Jeff! It is interesting
to read so much about them. Our seed came from fruit eaten on one of
the Balearic Islands (I forget which), and for years we simply called
the plant "Nispero" because that is what it was called on the menu, so
it was nice to read that again as the Chilean name for it. I've also
seen it spelt "Nespero", perhaps a regional spelling.

I have to laugh! It's native to China (but why then "japonica"?. You
ate it in southern Europe, with a common name from South America, and
it's becoming a pest in South Africa. And we have a comment from a
grower in the UK, on a North American website.. Pretty cosmopolitan
plant, I'd say!



:~) Yes, I go along with most of that, but assume that the
Nispero/Nespero tag is essentially Spanish, a language spoken by more
than one country/continent, no doubt due to colonisation. I didn't know
it was originally a Chinese plant, though. The tree certainly seems to
be cosmopolitan, but I wonder at its being a pest. I can't imagine it's
that invasive.

It is very welcome where it is in my garden, even when it doesn't fruit,
because it grows on the edge of a small bank, helping to stabilise the
soil there and offering good shade. It is a handsome structural tree.
The litter of its fallen leaves which are large, leathery and
persistant, can be a nuisance on the lawn, but not much of a problem
with me. I certainly wouldn't plant it near a rockery or pond, though!


I shall go back to that Dave's Garden link as there is so much still to
read. Thank you very much.

There is indeed. I find the whole website quite useful - in particular
for photos.


Yes, the photos are good there. I've often taken at peek at Dave's
Garden in the past.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay