Growing Fruit Trees-Loquat & Other Exotic Fruit

It’s that time of the year, where we begin to look at the blooming flowers and thoughts gravitate towards planting a few trees to spruce up our empty yard. When considering what trees to plant, many of us simply trip on down to the local big orange box store and buy one of the standard trees that they carry each and every year. In the south, those trees would be pear, apple, fig, peach and a few citrus varieties. In truth, I never understood why they sold apple trees since it rarely gets cold enough to allow the fruit to set. So I ask, why settle for the same old trees year after year? Why not try and find yourself an exotic tree that not only will give your yard a bit of a lift, but as it begins to fruit, brings forth the envy of your neighbors? I have complied a list of a few of the more interesting trees that are available on the market today.

Loquat Trees- generally the loquat tree can be grown just about anywhere, but in northern latitudes it will be more of an ornamental tree than a fruit tree. It has been known as the Japanese Plum tree and has been cultivated for over a thousand years. The tree is resistant to both disease and insects and will flower in the fall or early winter. The fruit is orange and small with a sweet taste. The tree itself is an evergreen that is easy to grow and will work best in zones 8-10. We had one of these trees as a kid and it was great for climbing, (10-20 feet in size), but the fruit was great to eat and even with a bellyful, we didn’t get sick, unlike the apricots we would eat.

Mayhaws-can be a rather thorny tree, so if you have small children you may want to think twice before buying this tree, though there are a few thornless varieties in the works. This tree generally flowers in February and sets its fruit and is ready to pick by May. The Mayhaw is famous as a jelly and was once considered a delicacy in Europe. When the Mayhaw was first used, it was considered a swamp tree, but as people began to cultivate it, they realized it could be successfully grown on non-swamp areas. The fruit is fragrant and juicy and most varieties are heavy bearers of fruit. This tree is good for zones 3-9.

Jujube Trees-produce fruit that is sweet in flavor, round in shape and will reach a size of 3-4”. The fruit will range in color from amber to green to brown/red depending upon the variety. Flowers begin to appear in July and the fruit will ripen in the month of September, giving you a late season fresh fruit for your family to enjoy. The leaves and flowers of the Jujube tree are often used in potpourri or even perfume. This tree will survive in temperatures as low as –10 degrees and is good for zones 5-9.

Medlar Tree-is a fruit tree that will actually produce its fruit during the winter months. Most varieties will produce a plum sized fruit with a hard to describe flavor. The meat of the fruit has been described as having a custard consistency with a hint of apple. The trees are rather productive and the fruit is good to eat once it softens. The trees will survive in zones 4-9.

Enjoy!