Loquat
Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a small rose-family tree; its large rusty-hairy leaves and fragrant white winter flowers precede the orange sweet-sour juicy fruit; the leaves treat coughs and the fruit is eaten fresh.
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Loquat — IllustrationLoquat — Tree
Loquat — Leaves
Loquat — Flowers
Loquat — Fruit
Loquat — Fruit & leavesLoquat — IllustrationLoquat — TreeOverview
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), also called Japanese medlar, is a small evergreen tree of the rose family (Rosaceae) native to China and Japan. It grows 5–10 m tall with a rounded crown and hairy young shoots. The leaves are very large, lance- to ovate-shaped, 10–30 cm long, toothed, with prominent veins; they are glossy green above and rusty-hairy beneath — the most recognisable feature. In late autumn and winter the tree bears clusters of small, fragrant cream-white flowers at the tips of the branches. The fruit is oval to round, 3–5 cm long, with a downy orange skin, and inside is juicy, sweet-sour orange flesh with usually several glossy brown seeds. In Vietnam the fruit ripens around March–May. The tree likes sun and loose, well-drained soil and is propagated by seed, grafting or layering. Loquat fruit is eaten fresh or made into jam, drinks and syrup, while the leaves are a familiar cough remedy.
Life cycle
From seed to productTree
https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Eriobotrya_japonica_2025.jpg/1920px-Eriobotrya_japonica_2025.jpg
Leaves
https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Eriobotrya_japonica_leaves_in_Mostar_-_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina_%282026%29-bs.jpg/1920px-Eriobotrya_japonica_leaves_in_Mostar_-_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina_%282026%29-bs.jpg
Flowers
https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Eriobotrya_japonica_flowers.jpg/1920px-Eriobotrya_japonica_flowers.jpg
Fruit
https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Eriobotrya_japonica_Fruits.jpg/1920px-Eriobotrya_japonica_Fruits.jpg
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- China40%
- Japan20%
- Southeast Asia15%
- Central & South America15%
- Mediterranean & others10%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Water87%
- Carbohydrates10%
- Fibre1.5%
- Protein0.5%
- Vitamins & minerals0.7%
- Fat0.3%
Uses
- Food: fruit eaten fresh or made into jam, drinks, syrup and wine; rich in vitamins A, C and potassium
- Medicine: loquat leaves are a traditional remedy that clears the lungs, resolves phlegm and stops cough; used for coughs and pneumonia
- Ornamental: grown as a garden plant, shade tree and hedge
- Other: wood for small articles; seeds and leaves can be mildly toxic if overused (contain amygdalin)
Properties
- Form
- Small tree
- Leaf
- Large, rusty-hairy beneath
- Fruit
- Orange, sweet-sour
- Nature & use
- Leaves clear the lungs and stop cough; fruit eaten fresh
Habitat & conservation
Loquat is native to China and Japan and is widely grown in the subtropics and warm temperate zones. It likes sun and loose, well-drained soil and is propagated by seed, grafting or layering. It flowers in late autumn to winter and its fruit ripens in late spring to early summer. In Vietnam loquat is grown in many northern provinces and in highland areas such as Sa Pa and Da Lat.
Conservation
A widely cultivated subtropical species, not yet assessed by IUCN (NE). Rose family (Rosaceae), genus Eriobotrya.
References
- 1Plants of the World Online — Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. — Kew Science, 2026
- 2Loquat — mô tả, trồng trọt, sử dụng — Wikipedia tiếng Anh, 2026
- 3Tỳ bà — đặc điểm, công dụng — Wikipedia tiếng Việt, 2026
- 4枇杷 Eriobotrya japonica — 形態、藥用 — Wikipedia tiếng Trung, 2026
- 5Nguồn ảnh: Qian2007 (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Minja Klarić (CC BY-SA 4.0) / B.navez (CC BY-SA 3.0) — Wikimedia Commons,
- 6Nguồn ảnh: Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Forest and Kim Starr (CC BY 3.0 US) / Siebold & Zuccarini (Public domain) — Wikimedia Commons,