medlar tree

nightshade · #1 (**permalink**) 15-10-2005, 02:44 PM

does anyone remember the medlar fruit, we always looked out for them as children usually in old overgrown or abandoned gardens, the superb sweet paste from what appeared to be a small rotten apple

Pat · #2 (**permalink**) 16-10-2005, 08:47 AM

We used to have one in the garden of our old house and the neighbours used to come round to pick the fruit, I always remember they used to wait until it was all squashy.

henrya · #3 (**permalink**) 17-10-2005, 09:46 AM

When I retire I'm going to plant one of these. They are fascinating, and yes, you have to wait till they are rotten (bletted) until they become edible. They have another, very vulgar name, from the look of the fruit, but some censor software would probably cut in if I typed it! They are reputedly excellent for making jelly.

henrya

nightshade · #4 (**permalink**) 17-10-2005, 11:26 AM

Henrya, please send vulgar name via personal message thanks

Pat · #5 (**permalink**) 17-10-2005, 01:30 PM

And me please. I'm broad minded!

nightshade · #6 (**permalink**) 17-10-2005, 01:49 PM

Thankyou henrya,

Pat · #7 (**permalink**) 17-10-2005, 04:17 PM

Thanks Henrya. I can see why now!

Woodlandguy · #8 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 11:01 AM

Hello,

This tree seems to be a rare one in gardens. I wonder if it is because it was a tree popular in the past and now not thought about so much, or maybe it was never really popular. I am a gardener by trade, and a young one at that. I can certainly say these unique trees are not dying out or fading away as I occasionally come across one in a garden.

In fact I have just taken on a new garden in London and the lady has a medlar growing right over from next door. She told me how she made jam or jelly with it but it did not taste very nice. Maybe she made it wrong. How should it taste? does it resemble any other fruit flavour?

I have nice memories of this tree when I was a very young lad of 17 and my brother teaching me about pruning while he was standing in the canopy of a medlar. I remember clearing the bruswood up and thinking what weird fruit and interesting bark with the characteristic vertical grooves in it.

nightshade · #9 (**permalink**) 02-01-2006, 06:14 PM

there must be a market niche for these and other interesting trees a sort of "antique trees r us" one day people will realise that, "easy maintainence"
gardens requiring no effort are deserts for the soul, giving nothing in return.