The Medlar (Mespilus germanica) is the "indie" darling of the orchard world—a quirky, ancient fruit tree that has been cultivated since Roman times but fell out of fashion because it requires a little bit of patience (and a tolerance for things looking a bit rotten).

If you’re looking for a tree with character, history, and a touch of the gothic, the medlar is your best bet.

Visual Characteristics Medlars are small, deciduous trees that often grow into gnarly, twisted shapes, making them look much older than they actually are.

Flowers: In late spring, they produce large, solitary white or pale pink blossoms. They are self-fertile, so you only need one tree to get fruit.

Foliage: The leaves are long, dark green, and slightly "hairy" or felted, turning a spectacular buttery yellow or russet orange in the autumn.

The Fruit: This is where it gets weird. The fruit looks like a cross between a giant rosehip and a tiny russet apple, with a wide-open "eye" at the bottom. This unique shape earned it some colourful nicknames in Middle English, most notably "open-arse."

The Secret of "Bletting" You can't eat a medlar straight off the tree. If you try, it’ll be rock-hard and incredibly astringent. To make it edible, the fruit must undergo bletting.

Harvest: Pick the fruit in late autumn, usually after the first frost.

Ripen: Store them in a cool, dark place for 2–3 weeks.

The Change: The flesh breaks down, turns brown, and softens until it feels like a squishy bag of custard.

The Flavour: Once bletted, the flavour is sophisticated—reminiscent of spiced applesauce, dates, and wine

How To Grow

Growing a medlar is surprisingly easy. They are tough, resilient, and—unlike finicky peach or cherry trees—they aren't particularly bothered by pests or diseases. If you can grow an apple tree, you can grow a medlar.

Here is how to get one started in your garden.

1. Location & Soil Medlars aren't too picky, but they do have a "Goldilocks" zone for the best fruit production.

Sunlight: Full sun is best for ripening the fruit, though they can handle partial shade.

Shelter: Choose a spot protected from strong winds. The branches can be a bit brittle, and the large blossoms can get blown off in a gale.

Soil: They prefer well-drained, loamy soil that is slightly acidic. However, they are impressively adaptable and will grow in most garden soils, including heavy clay, as long as they aren't sitting in a swamp.

2. Planting The best time to plant a medlar is during the dormant season (late autumn to early spring).

Dig: Make a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep.

Enrich: Mix some well-rotted manure or compost into the soil you dug out.

Position: Ensure the "graft union" (the bump on the lower trunk) is above the soil line.

Stake: Because medlars can grow into quite "heavy" or leaning shapes, stake the tree for the first 2–3 years to help it establish a straight trunk.

3. Ongoing Care Once established, medlars are very low-maintenance.

Watering: Water young trees regularly during their first two summers. Mature trees are quite drought-tolerant but appreciate a soak during long dry spells to keep the fruit from dropping.

Mulching: Apply a thick layer of organic mulch (compost or bark) around the base every spring to keep moisture in and weeds down.

Feeding: They don't need much. A sprinkle of general-purpose fertilizer in early spring is plenty.

4. Pruning Medlars naturally want to grow into a sprawling, twiggy thicket. You only need to prune them to keep them tidy.

When: Prune in winter while the tree is dormant.

How: Focus on the "Three Ds": remove Dead, Damaged, or Diseased wood.

Shape: Thin out branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other to allow light into the centre of the tree.

Troubleshooting Tip Leaf Blight: Occasionally, you might see brown spots on the leaves in wet summers. It’s rarely fatal. Just clear away fallen leaves in autumn to prevent the fungus from overwintering in the soil

How/When To Harvesting

Harvesting medlars is the ultimate test of a gardener's patience. Unlike an apple that you can snap off and eat immediately, a medlar harvested at the "wrong" time is a bitter disappointment.

Here is the three-step process to getting it right.

1. When to Pick (The "Hard" Harvest) In most temperate climates, you should leave the fruit on the tree for as long as possible.

The Timing: Aim for late October or November.

The Frost Rule: Traditional wisdom says to wait until after the first frost. The cold helps initiate the chemical breakdown of the starches into sugars.

The Indicator: The fruit should be a dull, rusty brown and feel rock-hard to the touch. If the fruit comes away easily from the branch with a gentle tug, it’s ready. If you have to yank it, give it another week.

2. The Art of "Bletting" This is the most critical step. "Bletting" is a fancy botanical term for controlled ripening (or, less charitably, "over-ripening").

Preparation: Spread the fruit out on a tray or in a shallow box.

Positioning: Place them "eye" (the open end) downwards. Some gardeners suggest resting them on a bed of dry straw or sawdust to prevent bruising and improve airflow.

Environment: Store the tray in a cool, dark, frost-free place (like a garage, shed, or cellar). Do not stack them; they need air to breathe.

Wait: This takes anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks.

3. How to Tell When They Are Ready You’ll know they are ready when they look like they’ve gone "bad" to the untrained eye.

Texture: The skin will wrinkle slightly, and the flesh inside will feel soft and squishy—like a grape that has been stepped on.

Colour: The internal flesh turns from a creamy white/green to a deep, muddy brown.

Aroma: They should smell sweet, fragrant, and slightly fermented (like a fruity wine)

Pro Tip: If you have a massive harvest and can't eat them all at once, bletted medlars can be frozen! Just scoop the pulp out of the skins and freeze it in bags for later use in baking or jelly-making