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Eriobotrya japonica

Loquat
Loquat-0.jpg
Loquat leaves and fruits
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Eriobotrya
Species: E. japonica
Binomial name
Eriobotrya japonica
(Thunb.) Lindl.
Synonyms
  • Crataegus bibas Lour.
  • Mespilus japonica Thunb.
  • Photinia japonica (Thunb.) Benth. & Hook. f. ex Asch. & Schweinf.
Loquats, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 197 kJ (47 kcal)
12.14 g
Dietary fiber 1.7 g
0.2 g
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

Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database

The loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) (Chinese:枇杷; pinyin: pi pa) is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, a native to the cooler hill regions of China to south-central China. It is also quite common in Japan, Korea, and some can be found in some Northern part of the Philippines, and hill country in Sri Lanka.

It is a large evergreen shrub or tree, grown commercially for its yellow fruit, and also cultivated as an ornamental plant. it is a common ornamental in Adelaide South Australia

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, also known as pipa in China.

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 fruit begin to blossom during Spring to Summer depending on the temperature on the area. 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.


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