Two loquat trees are alive and well
and living in Shreveport, Louisiana.
But, so far as I've been able to
determine, these two may be the
only ones.

Loquats don't shed their big tropical-
looking leaves in winter, so they have
been a welcome sight in my back yard
during the past three (mild) winters,
as well as summers. By December of
each year, the only green trees that
don't look naked are magnolias, live
oaks and conifers.

The key word in the above paragraph
is in parentheses: mild. Unfortunately
North Louisiana is occasionally visited
by BOTH some high temperatures and
low temperatures that can be fatal to
some otherwise happy tree friendships.
So, if your locality has a climate like
that, the best advice is NEVER to fall in
love with a stock market equity, or a
tree that likes to visit but won't stick
around through good times and bad.
This is a hint to the wise from someone
who does not practice what he preaches.

The two loquats were given to me, as
little five to ten inch potted sets, by Dr.
Comeau of Lafayette. Down there some
are flourishing. As far as that goes,
kumquats (no relation) survive well that
close to the Gulf of Mexico, too. And
once I picked and ate over two bushels of
grapefruit off a single tree in a single
summer, before that tree froze to death
the following January. Someone told me
if I had soaked the ground beneath it with
water before the cold front came through
the tree would have survived. Plantains
grow down there, too (some call them
"cooking" bananas).

In Texas City, Texas I visited an electrician
who had an avocado tree in a wind-sheltered
corner of his house, which was L-shaped,
and caught the morning sun. It was higher
than his house and bearing every year. My
own record, however, is about four-feet
tall and never an avocado.

But, back to loquats. This year will be the
first year any fruit set on it; and at least three
out of four of the fruit buds fell off during
a late freeze. The fruit from loquats is
DELICIOUS; and about twenty of the buds
are about a half inch in diameter now, and
growing.

I know... I know... message too long.

Okay, then. Here is a link where you can
read about the history of the loquat. I'm not
sure, but THINK the two in my yard might
be what is called a "great loquat," which
has been cultivated to produce larger-size
fruit than the first trees that were brought to
California.

(People who live along the west coast of
California have zero right to brag about
anything growing well out there. Some
in-laws at Laguna Beach use herbicides
just to kill back all the things that spring
up around their garbage rack. If I lived
out there you wouldn't be able to see my
house for all the stuff I would want to
grow -- local ordinances and neighbors
permitting, of course.)

Anyhow -- here's a link with lots of
interesting stuff about the loquat tree:

http://meme.essortment.com/loquat_rjrg.htm

And if you'd like to try them out, here's where
you can order:

http://www.gemworld.com/LoquatTrees.ASP


Gil