The Lovely Loquat

Episode 28: Have you ever heard of Loquats? In this episode, farmer, educator, and author Ken Love talks about this sweet and prolific fruit tree.  Found throughout the world, Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are easy to grow and maintain. Also known as Biwa and Pipa, Loquats have a long and intriguing history and offer the home gardener an abundant source of delicious fruit with high levels of Vitamin A and Potassium. Loquats are also powerful medicine. The leaves are used medicinally in teas and syrups to clear the lungs. Ken tells us what Loquats need to thrive, how to prune them for high quality fruit production, and how to harvest them for longer shelf life and maximal nutrition.  Ken Love specializes in tropical fruit horticulture and grows more than 200 types of exotic fruits on his farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can learn more about Ken at his website HawaiiFruit.net or at HawaiiTropicalFruitGrowers.org.