Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Eriobotrya japonica
Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica, the Loquat, is a compact evergreen fruit tree with large, deeply corrugated, dark green leaves felted rust-brown beneath. It flowers in autumn and winter, when almost nothing else does, and the woolly cream panicles are strongly fragrant; orange-yellow fruit follows in spring.
The bold leaf makes it useful well beyond the orchard, and it is regularly specified as a small evergreen shade tree or a screening element in courtyards and Mediterranean and Gulf gardens.
Specifications
- Height5 to 8 metres
- Width4 to 6 metres
- Native toSouth-central China, and long cultivated in Japan
- FoliageLarge, leathery, deeply veined dark green leaves with rust-brown felted undersides; evergreen
- Growth rateModerate
Conditions
- SoilPrefers well-drained loams; tolerates a wide range including alkaline soils
- LightFull sun to partial shade
- WaterModerate; drought-tolerant once established
- ClimateThrives in subtropical, warm temperate and Mediterranean regions; the tree is frost hardy but the autumn flowers and young fruit are not
Additional Features
- FlowersWoolly panicles of fragrant cream flowers in autumn and winter
- FruitOrange-yellow edible fruit ripening in spring, sweet and slightly tart
- UsesIdeal as a small evergreen shade tree, a courtyard feature, a screening element and in edible landscapes
- SpacingPlant 5 to 7 metres apart, or 3 metres for a screen
- Low MaintenanceLight pruning after harvest; thin the fruit for size where a crop is wanted
- Pest ResistanceGenerally resilient; fruit fly can affect the crop where it is present
- VersatilityGrown as an open small tree, a clipped screen or espaliered flat against a warm wall
- Wildlife AttractionRipe fruit is heavily taken by birds
The Loquat gives a courtyard an evergreen canopy, a winter scent and a spring crop from a tree that stays the right size.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 09 September 2026