My mother's neighbor has a large fruit tree in their yard. Noone seems to know what kind it is. The fruit have that soft fuzzy skin, definitely not a kumquat or anythng from the citrus family. They feel like the skin of a peach or fig. The fruit have a really sugery sweet scent when opened and are very juicy with a hard dark seed in the middle. I am thinking persimmon...? The leaves look a little wilted as I picked these branches a few days back and finally found time to get photos of them. Is this fruit edible? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks so much. Angela http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/749785/BIXIC-100_1651.JPG http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/749785/HYYCX-100_1655.JPG http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/749785/ITQDV-100_1654.JPG http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/749785/UNTIR-100_1652.JPG
Eriobotrya japonica (Loquat). Yes, edible (and commonly grown for its fruit in southern Japan, southern China, etc.).
Also make good fodder trees for goats if you are using them in a shelter belt. Where I lived 25 yrs ago was sandy soil and tree was strong and grew masses of fruit. However I am now about 800 feet above sea level on acidic volcanic and I am having no luck with fruit but it is growing reasonably well if slowly. So probably likes warmth. Liz
Yes, definitely - in Britain (cool summers) it will grow, but won't ripen any fruit. Louisiana gets the hot summers that it likes, though.
