Loquat trees
Loquats are small round or pear-shaped fruits with juicy flesh and a sweet or slightly acidic flavour. They make excellent specimen trees for the centre of a lawn with a short trunk and rounded crown extending to an eventual height of 7.5 metres tall and around 4.5-6 metres wide. Loquat trees produce beautiful, golden orangey-yellow fruits in clusters with a slightly tropical appearance. The fruits swell to around 5cm long and begin to ripen between spring and summer depending on the local climate, set off against glossy evergreen foliage held in whorls along the branches. Also known as the Japanese plum or Chinese plum, loquat trees are native to the cooler, hilly regions of south-central China, looking like something that’s come straight out of the Jurassic era. Loquats are delicious eaten fresh, make excellent jams, jellies, preserves and pies or may be frozen whole to eat later. The leaves of loquat trees are also used commercially to make tea.