Eriobotrya japonica seeds Loquat Japanese medlar

Loquats are sometimes called Japanese medlars.

 Loquat is a well-shaped tree, moderate growth, salt tolerant.

It has attractive dark green leaves above, lovely whitish underneath.

The ripen orange fruit resembles an apricot.

The fruits somewhat pear-shaped, about 2" long and 1 1/2" across with 1 to 3 seeds.

Fruits are often eaten fresh, It is good for making jellies and wine.

Trees often produce heavy crops, therefore fruit may be thinned to increase size.

The loquat fruit is especially good just eaten out of hand or in poultry

casseroles.

It is an attractive tree in the gardens where temperatures don't go below 25

degrees F.

Medicinal
Loquat syrup is used in chinese medicine for soothing the throat and is a popular ingredient for cough drops. The leaves, combined with other ingredients and known as pipa gao, it acts as a demulcent and an expectorant, as well as to soothe the digestive and respiratory systems.
Eaten in quantity, loquats have a gentle but noticeable sedative effect, with effects lasting up to 24 hours.

Culinary
The loquat is comparable with its distant relative, the apple, in many aspects, with a high sugar, acid and pectin content. It is eaten as a fresh fruit and mixes well with other fruits in fresh fruit salads or fruit cups. Firm, slightly immature fruits are best for making pies or tarts. The fruits are also commonly used to make jam, jelly, and chutney, and are often served poached in light syrup.
In Japan, it is eaten fresh or sometimes canned because the flesh is sweet. However, the waste ratio is 30% or more, due to the size of the seed. Among other things, it is processed to confectionery including jellies and the jam.
Loquats can also be used to make light wine. It is fermented into a fruit wine, sometimes using just the crystal sugar and white liquor. Lemon or lemon zest is often paired with the wine because the fruit has very low acidity. Aficionados also enjoy a sake made exclusively from the seed, which has an aroma much like apricot kernel. Due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides, bulk consumption may pose a risk of cyanide poisonings.
Nutrition
The loquat is low in saturated fat and sodium, and is high in vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, and manganese.