When one considers gathering a crop of fruit, spring, summer, and early-fall come to mind, rarely does anyone regard late-winter or early-spring as harvest time for fruit trees. There are, however, trees laden at this time of the year with delicious yields of a sweet and satisfying bounty.

Three fruiting trees—kumquats, loquats, and figs—have an excellent survival history in the Galveston area. Kumquats and loquats grow on evergreen trees. Figs are deciduous perennials. All three can tolerate low temperatures and even freezes like the one that visited us for several days in the early spring of 2021.

Loquats are currently budding and fruiting, and figs will bear fruit in the coming months, although there have been reports of some fig trees already bearing fruit, most likely confused by nature’s whimsy in 2021.

FIGS

Pliney, the Elder (AD 23-AD 79) was an advocate of the consumption of figs, celebrating their merits in numerous examples throughout his writings. In one instance, he stated that “This fruit invigorates the young, improves the health of the aged, and retards the formation of wrinkles.”

To express the opinion that the fig is an ancient fruit is indeed factual. Wild figs grew in Africa and Asia millions of years ago and undeniably humans have been eating figs since there first were humans.

Delicious in taste, rich in calcium, potassium, and fiber, historical evidence has shown that figs were farmed in Asia as long as eleven thousand years ago. The Romans distributed figs throughout the Empire and east into China and the Spanish introduced them to North America in the 1500s.

Ficus carica is a genus of over a thousand species but simply called fig, common fig or edible fig. The fig is a deciduous tree that may grow to thirty feet with spreading branches and a fairly shallow but extensive root system.

The pear-shaped fruit varies in color and may be yellow-green, bronze or purple and is actually a hollow vessel with tiny flowers arranged in a mass inside. In the common fig, these tiny flowers are all female and need no pollination.

The fig can tolerate nearly any soil except highly acidic soil, but light sand, rich loam, or heavy clay with good drainage is acceptable. Part shade is recommended for young plants until they are well established and mature enough to fruit (fruiting should begin in less than a year after planting). Fig trees will produce vigorously up to fifteen years with declining crops in later years although the tree may endure to an advanced age.

The fruit may be picked as they ripen, but are extremely perishable. Figs can be eaten whole, fresh and raw or served in various ways including stewed, as jam, in pies, cakes and breads. The famous cookie “Fig Newton” comes to mind.

Figs are low in calories, contain soluble dietary fiber, vitamins A, E, and K and the minerals, calcium, copper, iron, zinc and others as well as B-complex vitamins like niacin and folate.

Popular figs for zone nine include the Texas Ever-bearing (bronze skin, amber flesh, and mild sweet flavor), the Excel (medium size, yellow fruit, amber flesh, with a sweet flavor), and the Celeste also known as the sugar fig (compact in size, good for small yards).

KUMQUATS

Another fruit with an ancient history remains in the shadow of bigger and better-known citrus… the kumquat. Early historical references to kumquats are known to have appeared in Chinese literature in the 12th century. Long cultivated in India, Japan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia, the kumquat was introduced to Europe in 1846.

The Kumquat, whose name is derived from a Cantonese word meaning “golden tangerine,” is a slow growing evergreen tree with dense branches, glossy dark green leaves and fragrant white flowers. The kumquat tree may grow to fifteen feet and can produce hundreds of fruit.

As are most citrus, kumquats are self-pollinating. The fruit resembles a small orange about the size and shape of an olive and grows in clusters ripening from green to a brilliant orange about two inches in length.

The entire fruit is edible with the peel being sweet in aroma and taste while the juice can be tart and sour. Squeezing out the juice and seeds can take away the tart and sour, leaving a fruit as sweet as candy.

Kumquats are often preserved as jam, pickled, made into relish, used in desserts, added to meat dishes and the fruit added to tea.

The two most commonly grown kumquats are the nagami that is oval shaped and vigorous, hardier and a more prolific producer and the meiwa, which is more rounded in shape and sweeter. Kumquats prefer full sun and will tolerate most well-draining soils.

Growers have cultivated interesting hybrid varieties of kumquats, including the Calamondin that is a cross of mandarin orange with kumquat, Limequat (Key lime and kumquat), Sunquat (lemon with kumquat), and Orangequat (satsuma mandarin with kumquat).

Kumquats provide manganese, magnesium, copper, iron, and folate for the formation of red blood cells. In addition, kumquats contain high amounts of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the antioxidants that make them an effective deterrent against cancer, inflammation, degenerative disease, and diabetes.

Eating kumquats can lower cholesterol and triglycerides to reduce risk of stroke or heart attacks, while the potassium, Omega 3 and Omega 6 helps to maintain blood pressure and heart rate—health benefits for the entire cardiovascular system.

LOQUATS

The loquat is a large evergreen tree from the rose family. A native to China, it is prized for its sweet tasting fruit that are small round and grow in small rounded or pear-shaped clusters in colors of yellow or red-orange.

Loquats are unusual among fruit trees in that the blooms, which release a sweet heady aroma, appear in fall and early-winter, and the fruit is ripe from early-spring to early-summer. The fruit itself is succulent, sweet—described as floral in taste with hints of peach and apricots—and may be white, yellow or orange in color.

Naturalized throughout the world and in warmer areas of the United States, i.e., Hawaii, California, Texas, and the lower southern states, loquats are a low-calorie fruit that provide an abundance of nutrients, including several B-vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. High in antioxidants that prevent cell damage, loquats also are known to contain significant amounts of foliate and B6 needed for cell growth and energy.

Recent research has suggested that loquats may offer a variety of health benefits; the fruit, seeds and leaves have been a source of potent compounds utilized in traditional and non-traditional medicine for thousands of years.

Culinary uses abound as the fruit is well known as a natural sweetener for several types of cuisine from the inclusion of loquats in creating sauces, juices, marmalades, jellies, pies, and pastries. Other applications for loquat include the production of alcohol and animal feed.

The loquat will thrive in subtropical and mild temperate climates, like the upper Texas Gulf coast. Primarily grown as an ornamental with the additional benefits of sweet-scented blooms and delicious fruit, its cheeky, textured foliage will add a tropical flair to home landscapes.