[fekq]

having discovered Nespolas on holiday last year, I wondered if anyone could recommend a good variety for growing (for fruit) in the UK?

we have a nice, sunny, fairly sheltered spot for it, and it would be pampered with plenty of compost, etc....

[Lawrence]

We also discovered them a few years ago in Spain where they call them Nispero
I couldn't find anyone selling them over here, but have seen them in gardens in the Rochester area.
I ended up buying some fruit in Spain and growing the seeds myself.
I have since seen the fruit being sold in Gravesend.
I found a list of varieties for you,
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/loquat.html
If you can find them for sale go for a "home" variety to give you a longer picking season.
The commercial varieties are bred to have all the fruit ripen at the same time! Not good for us gardeners.

[Yorkie]

A quick google brings up a number of suppliers and other information.

This one has the Award of Garden Merit, which means it's been accepted to be reliable in the UK by the RHS.

[savbo]

I'm growing half a dozen from seeds in the fruit we ate in Majorca - only 1' high yet but very healthy...not expecting fruit though...just lovely foliage

[Swing Swang]

Nêspera trees grow easily and quickly from seed in the UK. They have a beautiful leaf and certainly survive our harsh (South of England) winters. If they don't grow how you like they can be hacked back and will recover from the harshest of pruning.

However you won't get any fruit on them. In Europe they are amongst the earliest of trees to crop which means that they flower/carry their early fruits over the winter and our climate is just too harsh.

I'd love you to succeed though.

SS

[Swing Swang]

Oh - and I might add that to get flowers on my trees I used to grow passion flowers through them which worked quite well.