Gold Nugget loquat tree with large leathery leaves and clusters of round golden-orange fruit

Gold Nugget Loquat (Eriobotrya)

Eriobotrya japonica 'Gold Nugget'
Categories:
Fruit Trees  ·  
Deciduous Fruit
Light
Full sun (afternoon shade in low desert)
Water
Deep, regular irrigation; not a low-water desert tree. Let the upper 2–3 inches of soil dry between waterings, and increase irrigation during extreme heat and fruit development.
Size
10-15 ft tall × 10-15 ft wide
Habit
Upright tree – single-trunk
Toxicity
Toxic — Pets
Description
A subtropical fruit tree, Eriobotrya japonica ‘Gold Nugget’, with large, leathery leaves and rounded, golden-orange fruit with sweet, juicy orange flesh.
Bloom Time
Fall to winter
Deciduous / Evergreen
Evergreen
Special Features
Attracts Bees / Pollinators, Edible, Fragrant
Growth Rate
Moderate
Growth Habit
Upright tree – single-trunk
Mature Size
10-15 ft tall × 10-15 ft wide
Flower Color
White
Foliage Color
Dark green
Landscape Use
Edible / Orchard, Hedge / Screen, Shade Tree
Garden Style
Edible Garden, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife
Soil
Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Citrus, Pineapple guava
Toxic — Pets
Seeds & leaves toxic (cyanogenic); ripe fruit edible
Care Instructions

Light: Morning sun with afternoon shade is preferred in Phoenix, especially for young trees. Established trees tolerate full sun with adequate irrigation and protection from reflected heat.

Water: Deep, regular irrigation; not a low-water desert tree. Let the upper 2–3 inches of soil dry between waterings, and increase irrigation during extreme heat and fruit development.

Soil: Well-drained soil; loam is ideal. Tolerates several soil types but struggles with waterlogging, salinity, and strongly alkaline conditions.

Mature size: Typically 15–25 feet tall and 15–20 feet wide; can be maintained smaller with pruning after harvest.

Bloom: Fragrant flowers appear in fall through early winter; fruit generally ripens in spring, with timing affected by weather.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.

Growth rate: Moderate, becoming faster with adequate moisture and favorable conditions.