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Our low was 5f on one hour. And 6f for two hours. This winter we had 8.5 days constantly below freezing.
We had one 2.5 year old loquat with only wind protection (tomato cage surrounded by landscape fabric). Most leaves browned 50% by March and top 1" tip growth dieback on a 2 foot tall plant, outside in ground for two full years. Grew back with ease and branching.
Separately, we planted 30 two year old loquats last spring to experience their first winter with NO protection (but a somewhat windsheltered courtyard).
Firstly, those growing in the dappled sunlight grew double the height and girth of those four feet away in full sun.
Secondly, these larger loquats fared better through the winter. Only one of the full sun loquats survived. Five of the larger dappled sun plants survived. So 7 of 31 survived with no protection.
Other than temperature, wetness, and wind, factors that mitigated their survival were shallow roots and winter wind erosion and animal foraging.
Half of the plants split their trunk from freezing wet and cold.

I have since planted my loquats at the base of my south wall in a sheltered area to become an espalier. They will get sheltered from the wind and sun in the winter.

Not bad at all adam. Most people concider them tropical plants, yet when you look into the data, theyre quite hardy. Unfortunate they most likely fruit for you... Any pics?

Pic from March. More leaves browned, more leaves grew.

Yeah that was end of march 2013 just before removing the fabric[/img]

They're rockin!!!!!

very interesting Adam! Keep the updates coming.

I ended up losing 3 out of 4 of my loquats through the past winter. The only one which survived was planted in dappled shade. I used hay as a protection method last winter, and it turned out to be some of the worst material that I've tried so far.

Such cool trees. I noticed the one huge one that gives fruit that I saw last year planted in Center City Philly has been cut down. Why would someone do that to such a large old tree???? Sad.

My loquat has grown very well this year. I get bugs disfiguring the leaves during the summer months but spring and autumn growth is usually bug free.
Main problem in Winter is snow weight on the stems. Not had a Narnia Winter to contend with yet as its only been in the ground for two years. I'm looking for the Photinia cross... Eriobotrya Diflexa for that bit extra colour to trial also.

Cameron, sorry to hear you are down to one.
Andy, yours look great. I'd love to learn more about E. diflexa.

My 7 of 31... three are still alive and growing. They all suffered terminal growth damage. All recovered, one of which from the soil level.
I think they put on no extra size, only spent the warm months recovering.

Separately, I have planted three plants in our south facing bed. They are covered with a poly "tent" to keep the basjoos and the faxoniana in front of them dry. In the summer they are watered at least once daily. I think they are still growing NOW! :
They are in this picture (a month ago) closest to the ground, closest to the wall..


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/10774315303/" title="Banana protection by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7351/1077 ... c888_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Banana protection"></a>

That is one beautiful plant, I have seen them along the beach in NJ and always wondered what they were....Do you think I could grow those her inland in NJ zone 7a/b?

Mike, it should be no problem... winter wind protection until established, then it should be all good.

seedscanada wrote:Mike, it should be no problem... winter wind protection until established, then it should be all good.

Thank you, incidentally no one protects their yuccas here, and they are all over the place and very varied in type.....so I wonder if I would even need to protect????

I enjoy hearing about everyone's Loquat testing.......I hope a few survive. I have mine in a tube with a weather cover which I place on top when it's cold and/or rain/snowing outside. I hope it survives.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 2a7ab1.jpg>

TimMAz6 wrote:I enjoy hearing about everyone's Loquat testing.......I hope a few survive. I have mine in a tube with a weather cover which I place on top when it's cold and/or rain/snowing outside. I hope it survives.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 2a7ab1.jpg>

ver cool