How to Grow a Loquat Tree From Seed

Have you tried delicious orange loquat fruit this season? If you love them and live in a warm climate, you can grow them easily at home. In this article, plant expert Matt Dursum shows you how to grow a loquat tree from seed.

Written by Matt Dursum Horticulture review by Sarah Jay Last updated: March 20, 2025 | 7 min read

Clusters of orange Eriobotrya japonica fruits hanging on a brown woody branch with dark green, leathery leaves.

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Loquats are evergreen trees native to the humid forests of subtropical Japan and China. When I lived in Southern Kyushu, Japan, I loved finding groves of healthy trees. After devouring their delicious fruit, I saved some seeds and started growing them in my yard.

In the last century, gardeners and landscapers around the South and Southwest US have planted them with success. They thrive in zones 8 through 11 and can handle mild frosts and winters once established.

These awesome trees are easy to grow from seedlings that germinate under mature trees or from seed. After growing them for 5 or 10 years, you’ll get tons of sweet and slightly tart orange or yellow-skinned fruit. Their flavor runs from apricots to pineapples, with several varieties to choose from.

If you want to plant your own gorgeous loquat trees from seed, continue reading below. As long as you live in a place with mild winters, you can grow these trees easily.

Japanese Loquat

Discover the Japanese Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), a fruit tree that brings a touch of exotic charm and a bounty of delicious, apricot-like fruits to your garden. Perfect for those who love a mix of beauty and practicality, this versatile tree is a must-have for any green space.

Buy at Epic Gardening

Step 1: Find High-Quality Loquat Trees

Several orange Eriobotrya japonica fruits growing close together on a thick branch with long, dark green leaves. — Choose a healthy tree with dark green leaves and no pests or diseases as parent.

In your neighborhood, find a tree with good-looking fruit and healthy foliage. Look for leaves that are thick, dark green, and abundant. This will be the parent plant, so be extra selective.

Take your time to find a good parent plant or, better yet, select several parent plants. The more variety, the better. Look for diseases, pests, or any defect on the tree, its leaves, and its fruit.

Most trees fruit in winter and spring, between February and May. This depends on the variety and its maturity. You can ask neighbors, friends, or even local businesses if you can have fruit for propagation. Below are my favorite varieties!

‘Advance’

Multiple yellow-orange Eriobotrya japonica fruits growing in dense clusters on a branch with large serrated green leaves. — This variety has sweet white flesh, pear-shaped fruit, and ripens from March to April.

This variety has sweet white flesh and refreshing acidity. It has medium to large pear-shaped fruit that usually ripens from March to April. This variety is great in jams, wine, or juices.

‘Early Red’

Round yellow-orange fruits of Eriobotrya japonica clustered on a branch, surrounded by stiff, green serrated leaves. — They are self-fertile and produce large fruit with dark orange flesh.

‘Early Red’ varieties are true to their namesake. They’re self-fertile and produce big, dark orange fleshed fruit.

‘Big Jim’

Dense clusters of golden Eriobotrya japonica fruits attached to woody stems with broad, veined green leaves. — These trees grow fast, producing juicy, round, orange-fleshed fruit across many U.S. regions.

‘Big Jim’ varieties are super juicy and delicious. They’re self-fertile round varieties with orange-colored flesh. They grow fast and thrive in a variety of locations in the U.S., from California to Florida.

‘Oliver’

Several pale green Eriobotrya japonica fruits in early stages of development, growing beside broad, dark green leaves. — The fruit is super sweet, slightly tart, juicy, pear-shaped, and ripens between March and May.

The ‘Oliver’ variety is super sweet and slightly tart with excellent flavor. The fruit can grow to be large, juicy, and pear-shaped. ‘Olivers’ can fruit from March to May, depending on the location.

‘Champagne’

Eriobotrya japonica fruits in various ripening stages, from pale green to bright orange, with elongated serrated leaves. — These trees produce pear-shaped, deep yellow fruit with sweet apricot flavor and slight tartness.

The ‘Champagne’ variety is another Japanese type that’s worth finding. It has deep yellow colored pear-shaped fruit with a sweet and slightly tart apricot flavor.

‘Gold Nugget’

A hand holding a small bunch of ripe Eriobotrya japonica fruits still attached to short green stems. — They produce sweet, round, juicy fruit and are among the most cold-hardy varieties.

‘Gold Nugget’ loquats are sweet, round, and extremely flavorful. These trees produce abundant fruit that’s large and juicy. These are some of the most cold-hardy varieties.

Step 2: Taste the Fruit

A hand holding half of an Eriobotrya japonica fruit, revealing juicy orange flesh and glossy brown pits. — Select fruit with balanced sweet-tart flavor, juicy flesh, and bright orange or yellow skin.

In my opinion, this is the most important step. Without sampling the parent’s fruit, you’ll have no clue what to expect from your future tree.

Look for well-balanced flavors, with high sugar content and acidity. They should taste sweet yet slightly tart. The skins should be somewhat easy to peel.

If the fruit tastes bland or has very little juice or sweetness, move on to another tree. Also discard any tree that produces mushy or off-color fruit. Look for bright orange or bright yellow coloring, depending on the variety.

Step 3: Gather the Seeds or Buy Them

Numerous glossy brown Eriobotrya japonica pits spread across a rectangular white plate placed on beige fabric. — Gently squeeze fruit to collect plump, round seeds; discard small, dry, or discolored ones.

Carefully gather the fruit from your parent tree or trees. Gently squeeze the seeds out into a container. You may get as little as a couple of seeds or as many as six seeds per fruit.

Select seeds that are round, plump, and solid looking. If they seem off-color, dry, or small, discard them.

Some online retailers and nurseries sell loquat seeds. If you buy them, always choose a reputable supplier and soak them well to rehydrate them before planting. Usually a couple of days is enough.

Step 4: Rinse them Well

A group of smooth, dark brown Eriobotrya japonica pits resting on a light brown wooden board. — Rinse seeds in cool water to remove flesh and check for any signs of disease.

After gathering the seeds, give them a good rinse in cool water. This removes the flesh and any sticky sugar left on the fruit.

Check for signs of disease as you rinse them in the water. After rinsing, store them in a container of cool water.

Step 5: Keep Them Moist

Several shiny, oval-shaped Eriobotrya japonica pits arranged closely together on a white background. — Store fresh seeds in moist peat moss around 40°F or plant them immediately after cleaning.

Before planting, it’s important to keep the seeds moist. I prefer to store my seeds in clean, fresh water. You can also use a moist paper towel as long as you keep it moist.

Fresh loquat tree seeds should last for a few months if you store them correctly. Keep them in a cold area around 40°F (4°C) for a few months. Place them in moist peat moss or coco coir. Or you can plant them immediately after cleaning.

Try to plant them within a few days if they’re fresh. Store-bought seeds are already dry and should last up to 6 months before planting.

Step 6: Prepare Your Soil and Containers

Dark, loose soil with a hole dug out and a yellow-handled trowel placed beside it. — Use well-drained soil with compost, coco coir, and seed mix for healthy young tree growth.

Use well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter. These trees can handle slightly acidic or basic soil composition as long as it drains well. I use a combination of seed starting mix, compost, and coconut coir.

Because these are trees that transplant easily, I use medium-sized containers to let them grow large but not too heavy. Choose containers with plenty of drainage holes so the soil doesn’t become soggy.

Step 7: Plant Your Seeds

A single Eriobotrya japonica pit with a green sprout emerging from its center, planted in dark, moist soil. — Cover your seeds with soil, soak well, and avoid overwatering the container.

Once you have prepared your containers, sow your loquat tree seeds on the first layer of soil. If you plant several in one container, space them out over 6 inches. You can thin them out once they grow into seedlings.

Cover them with an inch of soil and thoroughly soak them after planting. Make sure you don’t over-water the soil. Let it completely drain before watering again.

Step 8: Wait for Them to Germinate

Multiple young Eriobotrya japonica plants with bright green leaves growing in individual black plastic nursery containers. — Keep soil moist and thin seedlings after 2-4 weeks, ensuring consistent water without saturation.

After planting, wait up to 2 to 4 weeks until the plants germinate. If you planted several seeds in the same container, thin out the weakest looking ones or transplant them to another container.

As you’re waiting, keep the soil nice and moist but not overly saturated. Stick to a consistent watering schedule and monitor your young trees for signs of over or under watering.

Step 9: Give Them the Right Amount of Light

Several Eriobotrya japonica saplings with narrow green leaves growing in various small containers filled with dark soil. — Protect young plants from direct sunlight by providing morning and evening sun with afternoon shade.

As your seedlings grow, they’ll be extra sensitive to bright direct sunlight and warm temperatures. Keep them in partial shade. In nature, these trees grow in shady forests and meadows and stay shaded until they grow tall enough to breach the canopy.

The ideal light setup is with morning and evening sun and afternoon shade. This break in sunlight gives the plants a little rest and prevents the topsoil from drying out too quickly.

Step 10: Keep Them Warm

Small Eriobotrya japonica plants with light green leaves emerging from dark brown potting mix in plastic pots. — Trees prefer warmth but need shade in hot zones or indoor care in colder zones.

Loquats prefer warm temperatures but not too hot unless they’re in the shade. If you live in zones 8 and below, you’ll have to grow these plants indoors or in a greenhouse. Some varieties can handle short periods of frosts and freezes, but not for long.

Step 11: Transplant Young Plants Outdoors

A young Eriobotrya japonica plant with multiple bright green serrated leaves sprouting from a central stem in dry outdoor soil. — After the seeds sprout and grow, transplant loquat trees into well-drained soil, giving them extra water on hot days above 95°F.

Transplant your young plants in well-drained soil once they’re a couple feet tall. At this stage, you can plant them in full sun, as long as you give them extra water on days above 95°F (35°C).

Dig a hole the size of the root ball and loosen the soil a couple of feet around the hole. Carefully remove the plant from its container and take off excess soil from the roots.

Gently place the plant in the hole. With your hand, make sure the new soil contacts the roots. Cover the plant with soil up to the crown.

Step 12: Consider Mulching

The soil is covered with a layer of dry, yellow straw mulch, creating a light, textured surface. — Use organic mulch like straw or wood chips to retain soil moisture and support new growth.

Mulching helps keep the soil moist by protecting it from evaporation. It’s also beneficial to get your newly transplanted trees a healthy ecosystem to grow in.

There are a lot of different mulches that work well. Choose one that’s affordable and lightweight. Try to use an organic mulch like straw, wood chips, or grass clippings.

Step 13: Wait for the Trees to Mature

A cluster of small creamy white flowers growing at the tip of an Eriobotrya japonica branch, surrounded by textured dark green leaves. — Trees take 5-10 years to fruit, showing white fall flowers and needing cross-pollination or self-seeding.

Loquat trees can take upwards of 5 to 10 years to produce fruit after growing from seed. Some varieties of these mature trees will grow to be over 30 feet in some locations.

As they grow, keep them nice and watered but avoid soaking them heavily. Give them plenty of extra water in cases of drought or temperatures over 95°F (35°C).

You’ll know your tree is ready to fruit when you see white flowers develop in clusters in the fall. Some varieties are self-seeding, while others need cross-pollination. When the flowers appear, you’ll know you’ll have a spring harvest.

Key Takeaways

As you see, growing loquat trees from seed is very easy. Start with store-bought seeds or collect your own from healthy adult plants.

Once your seeds grow into mature plants, they should start producing fruit of their own after 5 to 10 years. You can eat them fresh, put them in jams, or try making loquat wine.

How to Grow a Loquat Tree From Seed