Growing loquat
berry / bush fruit
WINTER CHILL NEEDED
~0–100 hrs
POLLINATION
Self-fertile — one plant crops on its own
Pollination
Most are self-fertile; a couple of named types set more with a partner.
Growing it
Zones 8-10. An evergreen tree that blooms in autumn and ripens in spring, so a hard winter frost destroys the crop even where the tree survives.
Will you get enough chill?
Loquat needs roughly 0–100 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.