Loquat production environment and varieties

Loquat tastes very fragrant and sweet, and is known as the "king of fruits". Let's learn about loquat together.

Loquat

It is a rare fruit unique to southern my country, named after its pipa-like shape. Because of its bright yellow color when ripe, some people also call it "golden pill" or "little golden hammer". The poem "Who cast three hundred golden pills, the shells are slightly wet with dew. From now on, I will not waste jade to fight against magpies, and there will be tin paste that makes my teeth cold" in the Ming Dynasty is describing loquat.

Loquat is fragrant, sweet and slightly sour. It is known as one of the "three friends" along with cherries and plums. Loquats bud in autumn, bloom in winter, bear fruit in spring and mature in early summer. They absorb the rain and dew of the four seasons and are "the only fruit with the aura of the four seasons". Its flesh is soft and juicy, with a moderate sweetness and sourness, and delicious taste. It is known as the "king of fruits". Yang Wanli, a famous poet in the Song Dynasty, once wrote "Loquat Poem": "The big leaves are tall and long, and one tip can fill a plate. Lychees are mostly pitted, but kumquats are not sour. The rain leaves are low and the branches are heavy, and the juice flows through the teeth. Is Changqing here now? Don't send him to be a garden official." He expressed his infinite love for loquats.

Loquat is not only delicious and nutritious, but also has high health value. According to analysis, its main components are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, cellulose, pectin, carotene, tannins, malic acid, citric acid, potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, etc. Among them, the content of carotene ranks third among fruits. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that loquat has the effects of expectoration and cough, promoting fluid and moistening the lungs, clearing away heat and strengthening the stomach. The Compendium of Materia Medica also records that "loquat can moisten the five internal organs and nourish the heart and lungs", and modern medicine has proved that loquat is rich in vitamins, amygdalin and white resorbitol and other anti-cancer and anti-cancer substances.

Loquat Origin

Loquat is a subtropical tree species, native to Sichuan, my country, and also cultivated in small quantities in the United States, Spain, Japan, and Australia. Now, loquat is cultivated all over the country, and as an economic crop, it is cultivated in Dongting East, Xishan, Guangfu, Nantong, Haimen, Yangzhou and other places in Suzhou. Dongting East and Xishan account for more than 90% of the output, making it one of the famous loquat producing areas in China.

Loquat Growth Environment

Loquat likes warm and humid climate, and is suitable for growing at an annual average temperature above 15°C. Loquat likes fertile, well-drained soil, and can be propagated by seedling, grafting or aerial layering. It can bear fruit normally in areas with an annual rainfall of 800 to 2200 mm.

Loquat Varieties

Loquats can be divided into two types according to the color of the fruit: red-fleshed loquats and white-fleshed loquats. Red-fleshed loquats are called "golden balls" because of their golden skin, as Lu You of the Song Dynasty wrote, "It is hard to learn from the powerful to pile up fires, and follow the young master to pick up golden balls." White-fleshed loquats have jade-colored flesh, and the ancients called them "wax balls," as Guo Zhengxiang of the Song Dynasty wrote, "Each loquat tastes sour, and northerners once regarded them as stamens. I don't know what can really compare to them, and I am afraid that you will send me wax balls in a letter."

As for loquat varieties, the red flesh has thick seed coat, easy to peel, sweet taste and coarse texture, suitable for canning, while the white flesh has thin seed coat, thick flesh, fine texture and sweet taste, suitable for fresh eating.

Famous loquats include: "Ruan Tiao Baisha" from Yuhang, Zhejiang, which has white flesh and sweet taste; "Jiefang Zhong" from Putian, Fujian, which has thick and tender flesh, juicy and delicious taste; "Zhao Zhong Baisha" from Wuxian, Jiangsu, which has juicy and fine texture, and fresh and sweet flavor.