Loquats

Category: Food

Type

Voluntary

Introduction and description

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, it is grown commercially for its yellow fruit, and also cultivated as an ornamental plant in semi-tropical climates.   In temperate climates it is grown as an ornamental with winter protection, as the fruits seldom ripen to an edible state. In the United Kingdom, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Eriobotrya japonica was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known as the Japanese medlar. It is also known as Japanese plum and Chinese plum, as well as the P'I P'A in China.

Distribution

The loquat is originally from China (the Chinese name is P'I P'A) where related species can be found growing in the wild.  The loquat was often mentioned in ancient Chinese literature, such as the poems of Li Bai.

It was introduced into Japan and became naturalised there in very early times; it has been cultivated in Japan for about 1,000 years and presumably the fruits and seeds were brought back from China to Japan by the many Japanese scholars visiting and studying in China during the Tang Dynasty.

It has since also become naturalised in Armenia, Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Chile, Kenya, India, Iran, Iraq, South Africa, the whole Mediterranean Basin, Pakistan, New Zealand, Réunion, Tonga, Central America, Mexico, South America and in warmer parts of the United States (Hawaii, California, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina). Chinese immigrants are presumed to have carried the loquat to Hawaii.

In the highland parts of Central America, the loquat has become naturalized, and is often found growing wild in areas that have been disturbed but abandoned, its seeds having been dispersed by birds. Below 1000 meters, the fruit remains inedible for its high acidity, but above it, the wild fruit is appreciated and much harvested for its sweet, fruity flavour.  It is occasionally planted for living fenceposts, as the tree is long-lived, not much subject to disease, and the wood is hard and durable.

Description

Eriobotrya japonica is a large evergreen shrub or small tree, with a rounded crown, short trunk and woolly new twigs. The tree can grow to 5–10 metres (16–33 ft) tall, but is often smaller, about 3–4 metres (10–13 ft).

 The leaves are alternate, simple, 10–25 centimetres (4–10 in) long, dark green, tough and leathery in texture, with a serrated margin, and densely velvety-hairy below with thick yellow-brown pubescence; the young leaves are also densely pubescent above, but this soon rubs off.

Loquats are unusual among fruit trees in that the flowers appear in the autumn or early winter, and the fruits are ripe at any time from early spring to early summer.  The flowers are 2 cm (1 in) in diameter, white, with five petals, and produced in stiff panicles of three to ten flowers. The flowers have a sweet, heady aroma that can be smelled from a distance.

Loquat fruits, growing in clusters, are oval, rounded or pear-shaped, 3–5 centimetres (1–2 in) long, with a smooth or downy, yellow or orange, sometimes red-blushed skin. The succulent, tangy flesh is white, yellow or orange and sweet to subacid or acid, depending on the cultivar.

Each fruit contains from one to ten ovules, with three to five being most common. A variable number of the ovules mature into large brown seeds. The skin, though thin, can be peeled off manually if the fruit is ripe. In Egypt varieties with sweeter fruits and fewer seeds are often grafted on inferior quality specimens.

The fruits are the sweetest when soft and orange. The flavour is a mixture of peach, citrus and mild mango.

Cultivation

Over 800 loquat cultivars exist in Asia.  The loquat is easy to grow in subtropical to mild temperate climates where it is often primarily grown as an ornamental plant, especially for its sweet-scented flowers, and secondarily for its delicious fruit. The boldly textured foliage adds a tropical look to gardens, contrasting well with many other plants. It is popular in the American South as an ornamental plant for its blossoms, though winter frosts rarely allow the flowers to survive and bear fruit the following spring.

There are many named cultivars, with orange or white flesh. Some cultivars are intended for home-growing, where the flowers open gradually, and thus the fruit also ripens gradually, compared to the commercially grown species where the flowers open almost simultaneously, and the whole tree's fruit also ripens together.

Japan is the leading producer of loquats followed by Israel and then Brazil.

Medicinal uses

If we go to Dr Duke’s phytochemical database and look at the activity for loquats, we can see that much of the healing activity is indeed in the leaves.  This does not mean the fruits are without merit, but the leaves are more medicinal.

If we have a look at Dr Duke’s list of ethnobotanical uses we find the following:

Eriobotrya japonica (Rosaceae)

Use	Country/Region	Reference
Ache(Stomach)	China	Lost Crops of the Incas.
Antitussive	China	Lost Crops of the Incas.
Antitussive	China	Keys, J.D. 1976. Chinese Herbs. Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo.
Cancer	Japan	Hartwell, J.L. 1967-71. Plants used against cancer. A survey. Lloydia 30-34.
Chafe	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Coryza	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Cough	China	ANON. 1974. A barefoot doctor's manual. DHEW Publication No. (NIH): 75-695.
Cough	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Cyanogenetic	China	Keys, J.D. 1976. Chinese Herbs. Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo.
Depression	Indochina
Diarrhea	Indochina
Diarrhea	Elsewhere
Epistaxis	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Expectorant	Elsewhere
Expectorant	China	Lost Crops of the Incas.
Expectorant	China	Keys, J.D. 1976. Chinese Herbs. Charles E. Tuttle Co., Tokyo.
Expectorant	China	ANON. 1974. A barefoot doctor's manual. DHEW Publication No. (NIH): 75-695.
Hemoptysis	China	ANON. 1974. A barefoot doctor's manual. DHEW Publication No. (NIH): 75-695.
Nausea	China	Lost Crops of the Incas.
Nausea	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Nausea	Elsewhere
Pertussis	China	ANON. 1974. A barefoot doctor's manual. DHEW Publication No. (NIH): 75-695.
Refrigerant	Elsewhere
Sedative	Elsewhere
Smallpox	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Sore	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Stomachic	Elsewhere	ANON. 1978. List of Plants. Kyoto Herbal Garden, Parmacognostic Research Lab., Central Research Division, Takeda Chem. Industries, Ltd., Ichijoji, Sakyoku, Kyoto, Japan.
Swelling	Indochina
Thirst	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Thirst	Elsewhere
Thirst	China	Lost Crops of the Incas.
Wine-Nose	China	Shih-chen, Li. 1973. Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.

 

 Nutrition

The table below shows the approximate vitamin and mineral content of loquats, although one should bear in mind that this will depend a great deal upon the conditions in which they were grown.  The table comes from the USDA Nutrients database.  What it does not show is that the plant as a whole has quercetin in it, and the fruit has salicylates, which according to Newall, C. A., Anderson, L. A. and Phillipson, J. D.s 1996. Herbal Medicine - A Guide for Health-care Professionals. [The Pharmaceutical Press, London] have Antiaggregant, Antiinflammatory , Antipyretic, Antiuricosuric , and Uricosuric activity. 

Loquats, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	197 kJ (47 kcal)
Carbohydrates	12.14 g
Dietary fiber	1.7 g
Fat	0.2 g
Protein	0.43 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.	(10%) 76 μg
Thiamine (B1)	(2%) 0.019 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(2%) 0.024 mg
Niacin (B3)	(1%) 0.18 mg
Vitamin B6	(8%) 0.1 mg
Folate (B9)	(4%) 14 μg
Vitamin C	(1%) 1 mg
Minerals
Calcium	(2%) 16 mg
Iron	(2%) 0.28 mg
Magnesium	(4%) 13 mg
Manganese	(7%) 0.148 mg
Phosphorus	(4%) 27 mg
Potassium	(6%) 266 mg
Sodium	(0%) 1 mg
Zinc	(1%) 0.05 mg
Units     μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units

Method

Loquats are often best skinned, although it depends on the variety and what you are going to do with them whether you do or not. 

In some varieties the skins are quite tough, and some also have a slightly hairy texture like a peach, which means the skin is better removed.

The pips have to be removed.  The seeds (pips) of the plant are slightly poisonous, containing small amounts of cyanogenic glycosides (including amygdalin) which release cyanide when digested, though the low concentration and bitter flavour normally prevent enough being eaten to cause harm

Jams, jellies, preserves - The loquat has a high sugar, acid, and pectin content, which means it makes good jams, jellies and preserves. 

Fresh - The fruit can be eaten fresh.

Poached - The fruit is exceptionally nice if very lightly poached in light syrup and served with double cream or ice cream [home made of course]. Firm, slightly immature fruits are best poached.

Wine - Loquats can also be used to make light wine. It is fermented into a fruit wine.

Liqueurs - In Italy nespolino liqueur is made from the seeds, reminiscent of nocino and amaretto, both prepared from nuts and apricot kernels. The drinks are prepared from varieties that contain only small quantities of cyanogenic glycosides (such as Mogi and Tanaka), so there is no risk of cyanide poisoning.

Chicken and loquats

Serve with wholegrain rice

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste olive oil 8 whole, peeled garlic cloves 1 glass Sauvignon Blanc or other white wine 1 ½ cup homemade chicken stock 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1 lemon, thinly sliced 2 cups halved & seeded RIPE loquats 1/8th cup of capers, drained 5 springs of thyme

​Preheat oven to 375° F. ​Heat a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. While it heats, sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and add the chicken. ​Cook on one side for about 3 minutes or until seared and lightly browned. Flip over and sear the other side for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and continue cooking for another 3 minutes or until the garlic begins to become tender. ​Add the wine, bring to a boil, and let cook until the wine reduces by half, about 5 minutes. ​Add the broth, shallots, lemon, loquats, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer then cover and remove to the oven. ​Braise until the chicken is just tender. Optionally sprinkle with capers.

 

 

 

Lightly poached loquats stuffed with goats cheese, or cottage cheese, or a soft herbal cheese with just a drizzle of honey.

 

 

 

 

 

Related observations

Healing observations

• Dr Duke's list of Plants Containing QUERCETIN 021446
• Dr Duke's list of plants having chemicals with vasodilatory activity 017836