Medlar

Mespilus germanica 'Nottingham'

fruit

Medlar (Mespilus germanica Nottingham) is an old-fashioned, slow-growing deciduous tree, gnarled and picturesque, that bears large white spring flowers and unusual brown, open-ended fruit in late fall. The fruit is hard and sour at harvest and must be bletted, an after-ripening in which the flesh softens, browns, and turns sweet and spiced, tasting like spiced applesauce with notes of cinnamon and wine. Nottingham is a flavorful traditional cultivar. The tree is self-fertile, hardy, long-lived, and ornamental.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Comfrey: A nutrient accumulator for a mineral-rich mulch under the tree
• Chives: Alliums near the trunk help deter aphids
• Daffodil: A ring of bulbs deters voles and rodents that gnaw bark

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Cluster on new growth; rinse off and conserve natural enemies

• Leaf spot →

  Minor fungal spotting in wet conditions; rake fallen leaves and allow airflow

• Scale insects →

  Bumps on twigs; treat with horticultural oil and conserve natural enemies

🌾 Harvest & storage

Pick medlars in late fall after the leaves drop and a hard frost or two, when the fruit parts easily from the tree but is still firm. Blet them by setting the fruit eye-down in a single layer in a cool, airy place for two to three weeks until the flesh turns soft and brown; then scoop out the sweet, spiced pulp to eat or to make into jelly and fruit cheese.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Medlar fruit is a source of fiber and vitamin C. It is eaten only after bletting, when the soft brown pulp is enjoyed fresh by the spoonful or cooked into jelly and fruit pastes.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

The bletted flesh of medlar is safe to eat. As with other rose-family fruits, the seeds contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be eaten; discard the large seeds rather than chewing them.