The loquat, a large evergreen shrub or tree, is native to south-central China. Its fruit resembles the musical instrument pipa lute so the Chinese name was named after it. The flowers are white and have a sweet aroma that can be smelled from a distance and be used to make perfume. When I saw yellow-orange ripe loquats on a walk near my house, I was so excited because I have only seen loquats sold in a carton in Taiwan before and I never knew what a loquat tree looked like. Once I knew they were loquat trees, I began to pay attention to their flowering and fruiting appearance. The following photos were taken from January to May from 2017 to 2021. Only the first photo was taken in October.
枇杷，它是一種大型常綠灌木或喬木，原產於中國中南部。其果實形似樂器琵琶，故得名。花是白色的，有甜美的香氣，可以從遠處聞到，可用來做香水。當我在我家附近散步發現黃橘色成熟的枇杷時，我好興奮，因為以前在臺灣只看過一粒粒裝在紙盒中的枇杷，從不知道枇杷樹長什麼樣子，一旦我知道它們是枇杷樹，就開始留心它們開花結果的模樣，以下的照片是從2017到2021年，1月至5月時照的，只有第一張是10月照的。
Notes 筆記
- The loquat is a large evergreen shrub or tree grown commercially for its orange fruit. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. The loquat is in the family Rosaceae and is native to the cooler hill regions of south-central China. Its fruit resembles the musical instrument pipa lute so the Chinese name was named after it.
- The flowers are 2 cm (3⁄4 in) in diameter, white, with five petals, and produced in stiff panicles of three to ten flowers. The flowers have a sweet, heady aroma that can be smelled from a distance.
- Loquat fruits, growing in clusters, are oval, rounded or pear-shaped, 3–5 cm (1+1⁄8–2 in) long, with a smooth or downy, yellow or orange, sometimes red-blushed skin. The succulent, tangy flesh is white, yellow, or orange and sweet to subacid or acid, depending on the cultivar.
- The plant has been cultivated in China for over 1,000 years. Chinese immigrants are presumed to have carried the loquat to Hawaii and California.
- Over 800 loquat cultivars exist in Asia.
- China is the biggest producer of loquat in the world, more than five times the production of the second-largest producer, Spain, followed by Pakistan and Turkey. In Europe, Spain is the main producer of loquat.
- In temperate climates, it is grown as an ornamental with winter protection, as the fruits seldom ripen to an edible state. In the United Kingdom, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
- The loquat has high sugar, acid, and pectin contents. Loquats are often eaten as a fresh fruit. They are sometimes canned or processed into confections. The fruit is also commonly used to make jam, jelly, and chutney, and is often served poached in light syrup. The loquat can be used in juices or smoothies. Loquats can also be fermented into a fruit wine.
- Some other uses for loquat include making animal feed and medicine to counter vomiting and thirst. The loquat's wood is used as an alternative to pear wood and works well to make rulers/other writing instruments. The loquat's flowers are used to make perfume in Europe, although its yield is considered low. Powdered loquat leaves are also used to treat diarrhea, depression, and to help counteract alcoholic intoxication.
- Because of its golden colour, the pipa represents gold and wealth in China. It is often one in a bowl or composite of fruits and vegetables (such as spring onions, artemisia leaves, pomegranates, kumquats, etc.) to represent auspicious wishes or the Five Prosperities or wurui (五瑞).
- In temples in the mid-subtropical and northern subtropical regions, loquats and weeping willows are often planted as alternative tree species to the Chinese asoka flower to express the Buddhist concept of worry-free.
- 枇杷，古名盧橘，又名金丸、蘆枝、小芒果、琵琶果。它是一種大型常綠灌木或喬木，因其橙色果實而被商業種植。它也被栽培為觀賞植物。枇杷屬於薔薇科，原產於中國中南部較涼爽的丘陵地區。其果實形似樂器琵琶，故得名。
- 花朵直徑 2 公分（3⁄4 吋），白色，五片花瓣，由 3 至 10 朵花組成，呈硬圓錐花序。這些花具有甜美而濃鬱的香氣，從很遠的地方就能聞到。
- 枇杷果實簇生，橢圓形、圓形或梨形，長 3-5 公分（1+1⁄8-2 英吋），果皮光滑或有絨毛，顏色為黃色或橙色，有時帶紅色。其果肉多汁，味道酸澀，顏色為白色、黃色或橙色，根據品種不同，其味道從甜到微酸或酸不等。
- 這種植物在中國已有 1000 多年的栽培歷史。據推測中國移民將枇杷帶到了夏威夷和加州。
- 亞洲有 800 多個枇杷品種。
- 中國是世界上最大的枇杷生產國，產量是第二大生產國西班牙的五倍多，其次是巴基斯坦和土耳其。在歐洲，西班牙是枇杷的主要生產國。
- 在溫帶氣候下，它被種植為一種觀賞植物，並帶有冬季保護措施，因為其果實很少成熟到可食用的程度。在英國，它曾獲得皇家園藝學會的花園功績獎。
- 枇杷的糖分、酸分、果膠含量較高。枇杷常作為新鮮水果食用。它有時被製成罐頭或加工成糖果。也常用於製作果醬、果凍和酸辣醬，並且經常用淡糖漿煮熟後食用。枇杷可以用來製作果汁或冰沙。還可以發酵製成成果酒。
- 枇杷的其他用途包括製作動物飼料和止吐、止渴的藥物。枇杷木可取代梨木，適合製作尺或其他書寫工具。儘管產量較低，枇杷花在歐洲被用來製作香水。枇杷葉粉也可用於治療腹瀉、憂鬱症，並有助於解酒。
- 琵琶因其金色而在中國象徵黃金和財富。它通常放在碗裡，或放在水果和蔬菜（如蔥、蒿葉、石榴、金橘等）的混合物中，以代表吉祥願望或五福或五瑞。
- 在中亞熱帶和北亞熱帶地區的寺廟中常種植枇杷和垂柳，作為中國無憂花的替代樹種，以表達佛教的無憂之意。
References 參考資料
Plants Posts 植物的帖子