Loquat trees add seasonal splendor to Huangling. With rough gray-brown bark and thick, silvery-green leaves, they bloom from October to December with fragrant white flowers. By May or June, golden fruits with soft fuzz ripen on the branches, resembling tiny lanterns in the foliage.

Named in the Han dynasty for its pipa-lute-shaped leaves, the loquat is rich in vitamins and has both culinary and medicinal value. It quenches thirst, aids digestion, and is made into preserves and wine. In traditional medicine, its leaves and blossoms are used to treat coughs and nourish the lungs.

In Huangling, loquats also bear cultural symbolism. When villagers set off on long journeys, loved ones would offer boiled loquat leaf tea as a blessing for safe travels—its leaves guarding the home, its fruits ensuring peace.