Medlar.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Mittel

Pflanzenart

Deciduous fruit tree

Licht

Full sun

Licht im Innenraum

Direkte Sonne

Gießen

Alle 7 bis 14 Tage

Endgröße

15 to 20 feet

Wachstum

Langsam

Winterhärte

USDA 5 bis 8

Blütezeit

Late spring

Pflege

Plant your medlar in a sunny spot with well draining soil. Watch for signs of fire blight or leaf spot, and prune during the dormant season to maintain an open canopy. Make sure to harvest the fruit after the first frost, then store it in a cool place until it softens.

Gießen

Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, especially during the first few years of growth.

Düngen

Apply a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring before new growth begins.

Schneiden

Prune during the winter dormancy to remove dead wood and improve airflow.

Umtopfen

If grown in a container, move to a larger pot every few years to accommodate root growth.

Boden

Loamy, well drained soil

Boden-pH

6.0 to 7.5

Temperatur

-25 bis 35°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

40 bis 70%

Trockenheitstoleranz

Mittel

Lebensdauer

Perennial, typically 30 to 50 years.

Duft

Leicht

Wildverbiss-Resistenz

Mittel

Sicherheit

Menschen

The seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides which can release cyanide if crushed and consumed in large quantities.

Kinder

The seeds should not be ingested, so keep an eye on small children when they are eating the fruit.

Kontaktallergene

The leaves and stems have no notable irritants.

Allergene in der Luft

The pollen may cause mild reactions in sensitive individuals.

Essbarkeit

The fruit must be bletted, or softened by frost, before it is safe and palatable to eat.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Large, dark green, lance shaped leaves
• Showy white or pinkish spring flowers
• Distinctive fruit with persistent calyx lobes
• Spreading, often crooked, woody branches

Höhe

3 bis 6m

Breite

3 bis 6m

Blätter

green, deciduous

Blüten

white, 3 bis 5cm

Früchte

brown, Late autumn

Häufige Probleme

• Fire blight — A bacterial infection that causes branches to look scorched.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

grafting, seed

Pflanzzeit

spring, autumn

Überwinterung

The tree is fully hardy and requires no special winter protection once established.

Im Kübel

It can be grown in a very large container, but it prefers being in the ground for long-term health.

Planting aromatic herbs around the base can help mask the scent of the tree from certain pests.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Echter Lavendel — It attracts pollinators that help the medlar set fruit.
• Schnittlauch — They help deter pests from the base of the tree.

Fernhalten von

• Zierapfel — They share similar pest and disease pressures.

Ähnliche Arten

• Quitte — It is a close relative with similar fruit usage.

Botanisches

Familie

Rosaceae

Gattung

Mespilus

Ordnung

Rosales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe.

Artenschutz

Not of conservation concern.

It grows in open woodlands and hedgerows where it benefits from full sun and well-drained soil.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

nectar source

Bestäuber

Bienen

Verwendung

ornamental tree, culinary fruit, jams and jellies

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

What is bletting?

It is the process of letting the fruit sit until it turns brown and soft, which breaks down tannins and starches.

Can I eat the fruit straight from the tree?

No, it is extremely hard and astringent until it has been bletted.

Woher der Name kommt

The name Mespilus is the ancient Greek name for the plant, while germanica is a misnomer as it is not native to Germany.

Gut zu wissen

• Medlar trees were very popular in medieval gardens.
• The fruit has a unique, spicy, apple-sauce flavor once bletted.
• Shakespeare mentions the medlar in several of his plays.
• The tree often has a beautiful, twisted growth habit as it ages.