Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: barry42001 on October 25, 2014, 08:55:05 pm

Title: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 25, 2014, 08:55:05 pm
And the bees are really working them, very popular foliage tree in neighbourhood, know it gives alot of blonde pollen, maybe find out what loquat honey tastes like!
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: iddee on October 25, 2014, 09:19:37 pm
Pics, Man, Pics. Nothing's blooming here but aster.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: riverbee on October 26, 2014, 12:02:21 am
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1056.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft373%2Friverbee1%2FEmoticons%2FWeNeedPicsSmilie_zps2f8154de.png&hash=c6cc44554ddf1f503ccc411c3779954554ce3ec2)......... what iddee said barry!......:D

nothing blooming here, hasn't been for a month......going into W****R months..... :sad:
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: efmesch on October 26, 2014, 03:21:24 am
Barry, you forgot to mention the delicious fragrance of the loquat flowers.  When they are in bloom, I like to stop by the trees at night and breathe deeply to enjoy their perfume.
In Israel it is the only tree that flowers in the fall/winter (Nov./Dec.) and it gives us a lot of help in preparation for the coming spring.  I don't know how much nectar it produces, but it gives plenty of pollen. 
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 26, 2014, 09:09:18 am
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F10%2F26%2F25aff941cbf99f96633f3790a632fa44.jpg&hash=2997823d94dbe622ab551b95b2bc97a484f9c3f2)(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F10%2F26%2F0a8d7c7bad44e9bdc18c23dca7ed32da.jpg&hash=c435e1fff04d947ab48db0684a9c253baa7eebec)(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftapatalk.imageshack.com%2Fv2%2F14%2F10%2F26%2Fa444ec0ed27040ef9e2e2ce390a8400f.jpg&hash=73ee0501200c40f358aff1e5ace57806a4eca151)

Loquat blossoms
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: Bakersdozen on October 26, 2014, 09:40:33 am
Barry, where are you located?
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 26, 2014, 12:52:50 pm
Gainesville, Florida
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: riverbee on October 26, 2014, 08:49:59 pm
thanks for the pix barry!
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: Bakersdozen on October 29, 2014, 03:57:34 pm
Gainesville, Florida
That explains why I have never heard of a Loquart tree.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: efmesch on October 29, 2014, 04:12:19 pm
Believe me Baker, you are really missing something.  The tree is a gorgeous evergreeen. It  assumes a beautiful shape, has beautiful, large, symmetrical, dark green leaves.  It flowers profusely in the fall, with delicate, small, fragrant white flowers.  Its fleshy  fruits are colored lemon yellow and are  generally pear-shaped.  The seeds are large and have a uniquely shiny shimmering brown outer covering.  Best of all though, the fruits are  deliciously  sweet and tangy.
It is definitely one of my favorites.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 29, 2014, 05:53:11 pm
Efmesch, make sure they are really ripe or they are almost bitter. And can anyone tell me the purpose for kumquat fruit?
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: efmesch on October 29, 2014, 06:32:26 pm
I like them straight from the tree, peel (sweet) and all (the insides tart).  But they are absolutely superb for making jam and preserves.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 29, 2014, 10:27:34 pm
Lol first kumquat I tried removed skin like a orange...nothing tart about insides, bitter to my taste lol
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: lazy shooter on October 30, 2014, 06:20:11 am
Does the kumquats grow on a loquat tree?  If so, I have seen them in South Louisiana.  I love  kumquats, and have several friends that have them growing on their properties.  There are a lot of citrus fruits grown in South Louisiana.  Satsuma may be my favorite.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: efmesch on October 30, 2014, 09:02:40 am
Sorry to disappoint you, but kumquats grow on kumquat trees (citrus --relatives of the orange etc.) and loquats on loquat trees (Rosacae--relatives of the apple family)
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 30, 2014, 10:44:20 am
Loquart fruit when ripe are sweet and can be used in many ways. Kumquat while to my taste are alot tougher to eat ( friend of mine eats the skin and discards the pulp )
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: lazy shooter on October 30, 2014, 11:09:09 am
Sorry to disappoint you, but kumquats grow on kumquat trees (citrus --relatives of the orange etc.) and loquats on loquat trees (Rosacae--relatives of the apple family)

My question arose from one of the posters saying something about peeling one like an orange.  I looked up pictures or loquat, and they are about the same size as a kumquat, but it is apparent they are kin to apples and definitely not a citrus fruit.  My bad.  I also read where they too are grown in Louisiana.  I am going to look up a loquat tree my next trip to South Louisiana.

The blooms look like good bee forage.  In my novice opinion, bees seem to favor plants with clusters of small blooms.  That's just a surmise on my part, and like most of my original thoughts it will probably end up on a heaped up pile of insignificant history. 
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: mamapoppybee on October 30, 2014, 11:27:46 am
wonder if i could take a stab at getting something like that to grow in okie land? then again  im having a hard time getting apple trees going.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 30, 2014, 11:54:11 am
Thing about loquat is it blooms after most everything else is done. Perhaps a clever adaptation to maximize pollination cause nothing else is available. When ripe fruit of loquat are a bit soft. They all tend to ripen within a week of each other.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: barry42001 on October 30, 2014, 01:04:58 pm
Does anyone have paw paw trees? Would like to acquire a few trees, but actually too hot here in Florida.  The fruit is sort of banana custard taste and texture according to my reading.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: LazyBkpr on October 30, 2014, 08:52:28 pm
Paw paws grow down there?
   I know they grow up here in Iowa. Used to have wild ones down by the crick..  two problems with them.. the fruit does not stay ripe long, and they smell like rotting meat, the blooms are pollinated by flies, wasps etc, not bees..  Uncle used to hang animal carcases among them to get better pollination..  The fruit are exceptionally delicious though.
Title: Re: Loquart trees in full bloom
Post by: efmesch on November 22, 2014, 04:39:53 pm
My Loquat trees are coming into full bloom now.  I only wish I could include the delicate fragrance in the forum together with these pictures.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2Fuu3bpa1e7%2FDSC02060.jpg&hash=b54ac4c38de1520fd4aeed61129c598ea5d20df3) (http://postimg.cc/image/uu3bpa1e7/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs27.postimg.cc%2Fa64oajg5r%2FDSC02061.jpg&hash=fc0f1518bca3c55dcf898c26cf5ed77ecb167c3c) (http://postimg.cc/image/a64oajg5r/)

It was a bit overcast and windy (we had some nice rains shortly after the photos were taken) so the bees weren't out in full force, only one got included in one of the shots.