Medlar

Medlar is a fruit that requires patience on two levels: years to establish the tree, and weeks after harvest before the fruit is edible. The berries are picked in November after the first frost, then stored for 2-6 weeks in a cool location while they undergo bletting - a natural process of partial internal breakdown that converts starch to sugar and transforms the hard, astringent raw fruit into something soft, brown, sweet, and richly flavored. The result tastes like spiced apple butter with notes of wine and dried fruit.

That process - intentional, controlled, gentle rotting - is why medlar fell out of commercial production. Modern supply chains can’t accommodate a fruit that ships unripe and must be held until soft. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, medlar was a respected dessert fruit eaten at the end of a feast, often with wine and cheese. Shakespeare mentioned it. It disappeared from tables as stone fruits and citrus became available year-round.

The tree itself earns its place regardless of the fruit. At 8-12 feet, it’s one of the most ornamental small trees available for a temperate garden: large white flowers in spring, bold corrugated leaves turning orange-red in fall, and russet-brown fruits that persist after leaf drop, holding through December like small ornaments.

What it actually is

Mespilus germanica is in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, and has been cultivated since at least 3,000 years ago. It’s the sole species in its genus. The tree grows 8-20 feet tall with a spreading crown, slightly pendulous branches, and somewhat thorny stems on wild types (cultivated varieties are less spiny). Flowers are large (1-2 inches), white, and produced singly at the tips of short lateral branches.

The fruit is distinctive and unlike any other commercially available fruit: 1-2 inches in diameter, with the calyx end open (showing a star of dried petals), and a flat, roughly textured brown skin. The open calyx end is where the old English and French epithet “open-arse” comes from - a descriptive term politely suppressed in modern horticultural writing.

Named varieties improve on the wild type in fruit size and productivity:

Variety	Origin	Fruit size	Notes
Royal	Netherlands	Large	Most widely grown; excellent flavor
Nottingham	UK	Medium	More upright tree; consistent producer
Dutch	Netherlands	Large	Good for preserves; slightly more tart
Large Russian	Russia	Large	Good cold hardiness

All are self-fertile - no cross-pollination required.

The ROI case

Medlar takes 4-6 years to reach meaningful production but then bears reliably for 50-100 years.

Year	Yield	Value @$8/lb	Tree cost	Cumulative net
1-3	0	$0	-$24.99	-$24.99
4	3-5 lb	$24-40	-	-$0.99 to $15.01
5	8-15 lb	$64-120	-	$63.01-$135.01
7	15-25 lb	$120-200	-	$183.01-$335.01
10	20-35 lb	$160-280	-	$343.01-$615.01

At $6-12/lb at specialty markets (where they exist at all), the per-pound value is good. The real scarcity value is higher - medlar jelly, medlar cheese (a solid conserve), and bletted medlar eaten fresh are not available commercially in the US at any price. Growing your own is the only access.

Growing requirements

Hardiness: zones 4-8, with some cultivars pushing into zone 3 with protection. Hardy to approximately -15°F for established trees. Flowers are frost-tolerant; the tree blooms in late spring after frost risk has passed in most zones.

Size: 8-12 feet with normal pruning; can reach 20 feet without pruning. Easily maintained at a manageable size with annual or biennial pruning after harvest.

Soil: tolerant of a wide range of soils, including heavy clay and slightly acidic conditions (pH 5.5-7.0). Well-drained conditions preferred but tolerates moderate waterlogging better than most fruit trees.

Pollination: self-fertile. One tree produces a full crop.

Harvest: collect fruits in late October to early November, after the first frost but before hard freezes. The fruits should still be firm at harvest - they’re not ripe yet, just frost-kissed. The frost is important: it initiates the bletting process.

Bletting: spread harvested fruits calyx-end up (to allow moisture to escape) on trays in a cool (35-45°F), slightly humid location. Don’t freeze them. Check weekly. Properly bletted fruit turns brown, soft, and wrinkled, with flesh that gives to light pressure and smells of spiced fruit and wine vinegar. This typically takes 2-6 weeks. Under-bletted fruit is astringent and unpleasant; properly bletted fruit is excellent.

What goes wrong

Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora): affects medlar as it does other rosaceous fruit trees. Prune affected tissue 12 inches below visible damage in dry weather; sterilize tools. Copper bactericide at early bloom helps prevent infection.

Insufficient bletting: bletted inadequately, the fruit is astringent and unpalatable. The process can’t be rushed - it requires weeks at cool temperatures. Over-bletted fruit goes moldy rather than becoming usably soft. Check fruit every 3-4 days once softening begins.

Low yield in first bearing years: normal. Medlar trees gradually increase production for the first 8-10 years. The early harvests are small; patience is the only response.

Harvest and use

Harvest after first frost, before hard freezes. Blet as described above (3-6 weeks at 35-45°F) until soft, brown, and fragrant. Test by pressing gently: the flesh should yield and the interior should be soft and brown throughout.

Eating bletted medlar: scoop the soft flesh from the skin with a spoon and eat fresh, or use the flesh in cooking. The flavor is complex - caramel, spiced apple, wine, slightly fermented. Rich enough to eat in small amounts, like a soft cheese.

Core preparations:

• Medlar jelly: bletted medlar pulp cooked with water, strained, and set with sugar and lemon juice. A clear amber-brown jelly with complex fruity flavor. Served with game, cheese, or on toast. The pectin content in medlars is moderate; some additional apple or lemon juice helps achieve a firm set.

• Medlar cheese (cotignac): a very thick conserve, similar to quince paste - medlar pulp cooked with sugar until it holds a shape when cooled. Sliced and served with cheese boards. The flavor intensifies considerably with cooking.

• Bletted medlar with cream and brown sugar: the original dessert preparation. Soft bletted medlar flesh served in small bowls with heavy cream and a sprinkle of dark brown sugar. This is how medlar was eaten at Renaissance tables. The simplest preparation and still one of the best.

• Medlar wine or perry blend: bletted medlar juice fermented alone or blended with apple juice. A traditional use in English and French country wine making. The resulting wine has a nutty, slightly oxidized quality like a light sherry.

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Related reading: Quince - fellow ancient fruit requiring cooking before eating; Serviceberry - fellow underused ornamental fruit tree