Bob, to answer your question, we have wild cherry/plums, rather
like a Shuma, they grow everywhere around here, along every
hedgerow, so I did not trouble to plant any. Most locals ignore
them, but we pick loads every year. I use them in much the same
way as you do to make sloe gin, only I prefer Polish spirit to gin.

Back to the Loquat issue, they are said to be hardy down to -15 C,
and the flowers to -7 C, so there should be more people growing
them successfully, but they are only partially self-fertile and would
benefit from another grown close by. Perhaps this is why so few
growers get fruit.