學名：Eriobotrya deflexa (Hemsl.) Nakai
An evergreen tree in the genus Eriobotrya, native to Taiwan. The young stems, leaves, pedicels are coated with villi which will detach with time. Leaves are alternate or connate in the apex, leathery, oblong or oblong-lanceolate. Panicles terminal; 5 white petals in round or obovate shape; flowering from winter to spring. Fruits are nearly spherical, yellowish red when mature, densely villous, containing 1 or 2 seeds. Fruiting from spring to summer.
The plant enjoys full-sun and warm environments. Highly adaptable to soil, but deep loam soil or gravel clay with good drainage and rich organic matter is preferred. Propagated by seeding, air layering and cutting.
Suitable for use as a garden landscape tree. The fruits can attract birds, and be eaten raw when mature. The plant used to distribute in high-altitude mountains, are now also visible in the northern low-altitude northeast monsoon windward mountains which is a result of climate change that causes plants distributed the middle and high altitude areas to descend to the low-altitude areas in the north, so called the “distribution descending to northern Taiwan phenomenon”; the Taiwan loquat is a representative plant for the phenomenon.