Growing Medlar For Fruit Dennis Morgeson Agent for Horticulture Washington County
What is a medlar? • A small tree in the Rosaceae family • Botanical name Mespilus germanica, a relative plant Mesiplus canascens was found growing in North America in 1900 (loquat) • Medlar is native to South West Asia and South Eastern Europe
Medlar • Deciduous large shrub or small tree grows up to 26 feet tall but not common • The fruit is a pome like an apple and is matte brown • Fruit have to be bletted (more on that later) • Leaves are dark green and leathery and turn yellow or read in autumn • Flowers are white and showy produced in late spring
History • Very popular fruit in the Victorian era but has fallen out of favor • Grown by ancient Greeks and Romans as far back as 700 BC • Was popular because it was one of the few fruits that became edible during the winter
Medlar Culture • Easy to grow! • Plant in full sun • Well drained soil with pH between 6 and 7 • Keep plants well watered until established • Once established the plants can withstand our climate very well, however keep well watered the first three years • Hardy from Canada to Florida!
Medlar Culture • Medlar will be a more open spreading plant so it is best to keep it trained as a single trunk or central leader like apple, other than that no pruning is required • Many medlar are grafted to quince rootstock for dwarfing as to keep plants under 13-20 feet or less
Medlar Culture-Planting Soil not too wet Large hole Do not put fertilizer in the hole! Put top soil back in bottom of hole
Planting Cut off broken roots Set tree with graft union 2-4 inches above soil line Place top soil in around roots‌Do not bring in good soil to fill hole Firm soil around plant Water in good to settle soil around roots
Fertilizing • Get a soil test! • Apply ¼ pound urea per year of tree age around the dripline of the tree each year in late February or early March
Pests • Very few pests and diseases but cedar apple rust can be a problem • Rake up and burn infected leaves • Use general fruit tree spray if a problem occurs
The Medlar Fruit • The medlar fruit must be “bletted” before it can be eaten which is basically the first stage of decay • Like persimmon they are better after a frost • Medlar can also be stored at room termperature until they become soft and edible…. • http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=LqzPK0QFzEQ
If you don’t like the fruit….
Varieties • The Breda Giant Medlar tree grows well in USDA zones 49. This fruit is thought to have been cultivated as long as 3000 years ago. The fruit is very acidic when hard and a frost must be allowed to settle on the fruit in order to blette (bleet) or ripen the fruit. Once the skin begins to shrivel the hard interior begins to soften to the consistency and flavor of spiced applesauce.
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Varieties
Royal Medlar. Some medlar fruit lovers prefer to pick off the fruit in the fall and let it soften out of its astringent phase inside the house, where the medlars can be eaten and enjoyed all winter. Once the medlars become soft, they are ripe and ready to eat and enjoy by just peeling back the skin to expose the pulp. In the fall and winter the branches and twigs of the Royal Medlar trees are literally covered with fruit that most orchardists prefer to remain on the tree until soft. A plate full of medlar fruit will please your family, if eaten along as a supplement to enhance the flavor of wine. Many medlar varieties, such as the Royal, will be ripe and ready to eat during the Christmas holidays. The aroma of the medlar is a fragrance that is unique and unforgettably distinct. The shape of a medlar is very similar to a ripe crabapple fruit. Medlars can be eaten fresh or cooked, stewed, roasted or made into a pie or jelly.
Medlar Fruit Uses • • • • • •
Jelly Curd Paste Vinegar Cake Up to you!
• A Sampling of Recipes on handouts
Questions?