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Houston Chronicle Gardening column: What's the difference: Loquat and kumquat?
Nov 06, 2009 (Houston Chronicle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Q: What's the difference between a loquat and a kumquat? -- L.C., Houston
A: Although their fruit is somewhat similar looking, these trees belong to different genera.
Loquat or Japanese plum, Eriobotrya japonica, is an attractive, dense evergreen member of the rose family and related to the apple, pear and peach. It matures to about 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide. The large, stiff leaves are glossy green on the upper sides and a whitish or rusty color on the undersides. Flowers appear in late fall or winter, and the fruit is orange at maturity in spring. It's rounded to pear-shaped, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches, sweet to rather tangy, depending on the variety. Eat it fresh or use it in jelly or pies. Temperatures below 25 degrees F will destroy the fruit.
Kumquat, Fortunella spp., is the most cold-tolerant of the citrus we grow here. It matures to about 8 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. The orange-yellow fruit matures in late November and can hold well on the tree. The oval-to-round, 1- to 2-inch fruit may be eaten whole or used in marmalade or candy. 'Meiwa' is popular variety with round, sweet fruit.
kathy.huber@chron.com
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