Eriobotrya, Japanese Plum, Loquat 'Big Jim'

I have been growing 'Big Jim' loquat for about 6 years. It was two years old when I got the grafted tree from a CRFG member. It bore it's...Read More first fruit the following spring at 3 years old. It does droop when heavy with fruit if not thinned, but the branches spring back up after harvest. The fruit is about the size of a golf ball, with two to four seeds per fruit, and even bigger if the fruit clusters are thinned to two or three per branch. Mine grows in half day sun. The fruit tastes a little like an apricot, a bit sweet with a nice acid balance. I like most loquats I have tasted, but I do like Big Jim better than the more commonly grown Gold Nugget loquat or most of the unnamed seedling varieties I have tasted. I have only tasted one seed grown white loquat, that I would say was superior, however there are many named cultivars I have not tried, including Vista, Bradenton, or Strawberry. It seems to be fairly drought tolerant. If you can find a grafted or cutting grown Big Jim, I would highly recommend this cultivar of loquat. Although I have read loquats are hard to grow from cuttings, I currently have a healthy cutting with with root initials starting to grow and new leaves emerging. It is in perlite on a heat mat with a cup on top for humidity.

I was looking for the type of Japanese plum tree that I have. I am trying to find info as to why it is not bearing any fruit.

I have never grown this plant, but I just tasted a ripe fruit from one growing in a botanical garden, and I found the flavor, if anything...Read More, to better than a normal Loquat... very tasty and super sweet.. .and incredibly juicy. It may depend on the age on the plant, soil, fertilizer, individual plant etc.

My tree fruited this year (its 3rd) but the branches are not stout enough to hold the heavy fruit and either break or bend to the ground....Read More Although the fruit is juicy, it is very bland and barely sweet.