Medlar Trees-spring! Mespilus, Զկեռ; Mushmoll, Musmula, meslier, medler, cu d'si

Wonder small tree with beautiful foliage, shape and fall color. Grafted trees are typically 3 feet high as shipped.

    Medlar grows easily with no pest or disease troubles here-grows to 8' by 8 feet with no pruning. Its our most attractive small tree on the farm. 2 years old, ships bareroot in March-April or now-later in September through April. Photos show fruit we ship in the boxes and with trees in October.

Breda Giant and Royal> beautiful trees with flowers, 36 inch tall. 2 year old trees are $55 shipped $95 for 2. Make offers for more as shipping tends to not raise significantly.

When first gathered, it is hard and inedible, but in the early stages of decay it acquires an acid flavor much relished. The tree was introduced into southern Europe from western Asia. In Romanic the initial consonant has shifted to n-; as in French nèfle, Spanish nespera, Italian nespolo (napkin). The Old English name for the fruit was openærs, literally "open-arse," probably so called for the large puckered "eye" - the calyx.

Medieval Europeans were fanatical about a strange fruit that could only be eaten 'rotten'. Then it was forgotten altogether. Why did they love it so much? And why did it disappear?

In 2011, archaeologists found something unusual in a Roman toilet. The team were excavating the ancient village of Tasgetium (now Eschenz, Switzerland), ruled by a Celtic king who was personally given the land by Julius Caesar. It was built on the banks of the river Rhine, along what was then an important trade route – and as a result, its remains have been steeped in water ever since. What should have rotted away centuries ago was uncovered in a remarkable state of preservation, protected by the lack of oxygen in the boggy conditions.

It was here that, nestled among the remains of familiar foods such as plums, damsons, cherries, peaches and walnuts in an ancient cesspit, the archaeologists found 19 curiously large seeds. Though they were, let's say, "deposited" there nearly 2,000 years ago, they almost looked fresh enough to have been found yesterday – except that the fruit they belong to is now so obscure, it can baffle even professional botanists.

The fruits are firm then soften becoming brown and tart after "bletted" by frost, or naturally in storage if given sufficient time by reducing tannin content and fruit acids, increasing sugar content, and changes in the content of minerals.

Once softening begins, the skin rapidly takes on a wrinkled texture and turns dark brown, and the inside reduces to the consistency and flavour reminiscent of apple butter. This process can confuse those new to medlars, as its softened fruit looks as if it has spoiled.

   Eaten raw, sometimes with sugar and cream or used to make medlar jelly. It is also used in "medlar cheese", which is similar to lemon curd, made with the fruit pulp, eggs, and butter.

Traditional storage is in sawdust or bran in a cool, dark place until they’re suitably bletted(decayed) and have developed an aromatic flavour.

     I have enjoyed Medlar through April. I have made delicious pudding: https://digdelve.com/medlar-sponge-pudding/

I keep them cool outside or cold in the refrigerator- But kept at lowest humidity.