Interesting brief article on the fruit that looks like a monkey’s butt and can’t be eaten until it’s rotten!
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A little peeve of mine… “Rotten” describes an undesirable microbial or fungal breakdown. Medlars CAN rot, and when they do, you don’t want to eat them. They’re good when they have a self induced breakdown which is (I think) more of an enzymatic process. It’s actually quite similar to bananas. They start out firm and astringent, but when left to sit they soften and sweeten considerably.
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Would they make it in Zone 5/6? They sound interesting.
And are they something like persimmons?
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there are quite a few that are hardy to z4. i tried one a few years ago but it didnt leaf out. i may try again if i get space. there is a active thread on here folks are discussing them. i forget the title.
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Yes! They’re cold hardy to Zone 5 or more!
You can graft them on Hawthorn apparently!
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I’ve put a few on Black Hawthorn and they have all done really well, its recommended to graft low and use the Haw as a nurse root stock, but either way.
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I had one I planted in 2020 in 6A. Grew real well and fruited the last couple years, not a ton but I really liked the fruit. However, very susceptible to fire blight, got it for the first time this summer and it killed 90% of the tree and I had to take it out. I’d say worthwhile in areas without FB.
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“Just Say No to Medlars” was the name of one old thread.
These are nothing like persimmons; different color, texture, size.
Medlars have relatively large hard pips (seeds) and are much more difficult to process than the larger, fleshy persimmons.
And the term for medlars is bletting, not rotting.
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Medlars aren’t only for processing. I simply freeze several of them and eat them at different times. Medlars aren’t persimmons, but persimmons aren’t apples, which aren’t cherries, etc. They taste like the best applesauce you ever ate in your life. Some varieties are better than others. I ate 3 today, on January 9th, and they were really good, fresh off of the tree. Since I biocharred mine, the fruit last longer on the tree, taste better, and the tree seems to be growing more.
JohnS
PDX OR
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We used to have a medlar when I lived in a semi arid zone, they are very pretty trees. I am considering getting one here as they are so ornamental.
I agree with JohnS, they taste like applesauce after bletting. The yield was low for us, but that may have been the variety or the climate.
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They are on my list to try. I’m in zone 4 and worry more about ripening time. I’ll risk it and experiment some year.
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I have several growing, but have yet to experience fruit. I did finally have the capital to order some this year, but by the time I got to it, the available stock was already too far into bletting for the shipper to send any my way. I’ve seen a few flowers, and assume the deer like them, as the current height of my bushes makes for a perfect table and return visits do not leave anything for me to enjoy. We did have a wild time of assorted leaf eaters, too, this year; so maybe it was not the deer.
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I planted a royal medlar last spring…
Deer definately like them… one ate the top off of mine.
Going to have to make a better cage for it this year.
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You can graft it onto hawthorn, that might be a cheaper and faster method than planting.
Also many hawthorns are hardy to Zone 2 and may make your Medlar more cold hardy than whatever rootstock you buy it on.
Also try getting Arnold hawthorn! You might like it better than Medlar, it’s more like big blueberries than anything else, but has big seeds too, very productive in zone 4, hardy to Zone 2.
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I found this, but it looks like you need to order 10 of each minimum at that site.
I hope it’s helpful somehow.
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They grow fine in northern Michigan. I had a couple fruit last fall, but I think I picked them to early. I will let them blet on the tree next time. I like some wild crab apples we have around once they blet. They taste like sour and very sweet applesauce. So, I hope I will like medlars too.
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There is a Medlar thread here:
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I have one coming from someplace called Green Thumbs Garden. Although it appears to be sold out now. I’ve never ordered from them before, and only found them because I was looking for this tree. Arnold Hawthorn Tree – Green Thumbs Garden
I think I also spotted one on Etsy last week.
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I will be very interested to see what you think about the flavor of the fruit.
JohnS
PDX OR
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