fruit tree
Gold Nugget loquat
Best for mild-winter yards where late freezes are uncommon.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 8b-10b
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- LoamSandyClay
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Not rated No deer-resistance category is assigned yet; treat browsing risk as local and variable.
- Black walnut
- Mixed or uncertain Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Planting depth
- Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container min
- 25+ gal (limited)
- Goals
- FruitCurb appeal & color
Harvest & Use
- Window
- ripens in spring
- Yield return
- 20-75 lb/plant/year
- First output
- 3-5 yrs
- Best for
- FruitCurb appeal & color
Harvest window: ripens in spring. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 20-75 lb/plant/year with a harvest window of 2-5 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Forest and Kim Starr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0 us)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 20-75 lb/plant/year
- 10-year return
- 110.7-415 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- 5-8 yrs
- Mature size
- 10-25 ft H x 10-20 ft W
- Spacing
- 15-25 ft in-row x 12-25 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container min
- 25+ gal (limited)
- Productive life
- 15-30 yrs
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Reliability
- 3/5
- Data quality
- Low profile, Low yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
8 itemsPlant by ZIP may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through checklist links.
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Frost blanket
Protection / Cold nightsExtend the season or protect tender plants during cold snaps.
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Tree trunk guard
Protection / After plantingProtect young trunks from mower damage, sunscald, rabbits, and rubbing injury.
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Fruit tree and berry fertilizer
Nutrition / After establishmentSupport fruiting wood, bloom, and recovery after establishment once soil needs are known.
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Soil test kit or lab mailer
Site prep / Before plantingCheck pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
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Digging spade or shovel
Tools / Planting dayOpen planting holes, loosen compacted soil, and shape beds for larger transplants.
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Plant labels
Planning / Planting dayTrack cultivar, planting date, and variety when comparing harvests or pollination partners.
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Tree stake kit
Support / Planting dayStabilize newly planted trees only where wind, slope, or root-ball movement makes support necessary.
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Organic mulch
Soil / After plantingHold soil moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect shallow roots.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for Gold Nugget loquat.
- Year 1
- 0 lb Establishment year: focus on roots before harvest.
- Year 5
- 10-37.5 lb
- Year 10
- 20-75 lb
- 10-year total
- 110.7-415 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container minimum: 25+ gal (limited). Use dwarf/root-pruned culture for long-term containers; in-ground usually performs better.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam, sandy, clay soil, and medium water.
- Use 15-25 ft in-row x 12-25 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 10-25 ft H x 10-20 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "ripens in spring" and 20-75 lb/plant/year as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Quantitative data quality is low for this record; verify before buying or planting at scale.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxMissouri Botanical Garden Plant FinderUniversity of Maryland Extension - Planting a Tree or ShrubUniversity of Maryland Extension - Starting a Home Fruit GardenUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables
Supplier search: Raintree Nursery. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.