Medlar

A medieval fruit tree producing unusual open-ended fruits that must undergo bletting, a controlled decomposition process, before eating. After frost, the hard fruits are stored indoors until the flesh turns brown and soft with a flavor like spiced applesauce. Medlars are attractive ornamental trees with large white flowers and spectacular autumn color.

Medlar seeds require extended cold stratification of 90 to 120 days at 33 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit in moist sand before germination. Extract seeds from bletted fruit, clean thoroughly, and place in stratification immediately. Sow stratified seeds one inch deep in well-draining potting mix in spring. Germination can be slow and erratic, taking several weeks to months. Seedlings are slow-growing in their first year. Named varieties are propagated by grafting onto hawthorn, quince, or pear rootstock using whip-and-tongue grafting during the dormant season.

The Season Plate

Your Medlar Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Plant Medlar Mar – Apr, pick Oct – Nov. Check the planting methods below and set your climate to personalize these windows.

Planting windows

Mar – Apr

Plant · Mar – Apr

Outdoor planting

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around Feb 28

≈ 730 days from this planting · 3–5 years per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmNorthSouthUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Medlar reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

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Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

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Follow-up planting dates plan the next planting for the season

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Medlars grow best in full sun with well-drained, moderately fertile soil at a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in early spring, spacing 12 to 15 feet apart. The trees develop a naturally attractive spreading, somewhat weeping form that requires little pruning. Stake young trees for the first year and water deeply at planting with a generous mulch ring.

Medlars are self-fertile and produce reliable crops without a pollinator tree. The large, showy white or pink-tinged flowers appear in late spring after the risk of frost has passed, making fruit set very reliable. Prune in late winter only to remove dead wood, crossing branches, and any water sprouts. The naturally open growth habit provides good air circulation and rarely needs corrective pruning.

Once established after two to three years, medlars are remarkably low-maintenance trees. They tolerate drought, poor soils, and exposed sites better than most fruit trees. Water weekly during the first two growing seasons, then only during extended dry periods. Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring and top-dress with compost annually. The trees are long-lived and can produce for decades with minimal care.

Medlars grow well in mixed fruit plantings alongside apples, pears, and plums. Their late bloom avoids competition with earlier-flowering trees for pollinator attention. Underplant with shade-tolerant herbs like sweet woodruff and wild garlic. The attractive tree form makes medlar suitable as a specimen tree in ornamental borders, surrounded by perennials and shrubs. Comfrey provides excellent mulch material when grown beneath the canopy. Avoid planting near junipers to reduce rust disease risk.

The Society Table

Garlic belongs beside it.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Medlar's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 1

Garlic

Keep apart · 0

no recorded foes

Plant Medlar with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

Related growing guides

Vegetables

Garlic

A good companion for Medlar

Fruits

Apple (Dwarf)

View growing guide

Fruits

Pear (Dwarf)

View growing guide

Fruits

Gala Apple

View growing guide

Medlars are adaptable to a range of soil types, from sandy loam to moderate clay, provided drainage is adequate. Ideal pH is 6.0 to 7.0, but they tolerate mildly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. Apply a light dressing of balanced fertilizer in early spring. Medlars are not heavy feeders and excessive fertility promotes vegetative growth over fruiting. Annual compost mulching provides sufficient nutrition for most garden situations. The trees develop deep root systems that access subsoil nutrients effectively.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Medlar fruit is harvested in late October to November, ideally after the first hard frost, which begins the bletting process. Pick fruit when it detaches easily from the branch. At harvest, the fruit is hard, green-brown, and completely inedible. Bletting is essential: place picked fruit calyx-end down on a tray in a cool, frost-free location and wait two to four weeks until the flesh turns brown, soft, and pudding-like. The bletting process converts starches and tannins into sugars, creating the characteristic rich, spiced-apple flavor.

Storage & Preservation

Unbletted medlar fruit stores for several weeks in a cool location while slowly softening. Once bletted, the fruit should be used within a few days as it continues to decompose. Traditional medlar jelly is made by simmering bletted fruit and straining the juice, producing a clear, amber preserve with a complex wine-like flavor. Medlar cheese is a thick paste similar to membrillo, excellent with strong cheeses. The bletted pulp can be frozen for later use in baking or preserves.

Brown Rot

Disease

Fruit develops brown soft spots with concentric rings of gray-buff spores during bletting; infected fruit becomes mummified.

Prevention Remove mummified fruit from the tree and ground; ensure good air circulation; avoid wounding fruit during harvest.

Fix: Prompt removal of infected fruit prevents spread; fungicide sprays are rarely needed for medlar as some decomposition is desirable during bletting.

Caterpillars

Pest

Holes chewed in leaves; silk webbing on branches; defoliation in severe infestations from winter moth or tent caterpillars.

Prevention Apply grease bands around the trunk in autumn to prevent wingless female winter moths from climbing to lay eggs.

Fix: Hand-pick caterpillars when populations are small; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray for larger infestations.

Leaf Spot

Disease

Brown or black spots on leaves that may cause premature defoliation in wet weather; mostly cosmetic damage.

Prevention Rake and remove fallen leaves in autumn; maintain good air circulation through proper spacing and pruning.

Fix: Fungicide sprays are rarely warranted; improve cultural conditions to reduce severity in subsequent years.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

The biggest challenge with medlars is the bletting process, which can seem unappealing to those unfamiliar with the fruit. Getting the timing right requires experience; under-bletted fruit is tannic and astringent, while over-bletted fruit becomes watery and fermented. Birds and wasps may damage fruit before harvest if it softens early on the tree. The trees can be slow to begin bearing, taking three to five years from planting. In very mild climates without adequate frost, bletting may need to be initiated artificially by freezing fruit overnight.

Growing Tips

1. Choose your planting site carefully — medlars prefer a warm, sheltered position in full sun or very light partial shade, protected from strong winds that can damage blossom and reduce pollination success.
2. Plant in well-drained, moderately fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Medlars tolerate a range of soil types including clay, provided drainage is adequate, but they will not thrive in waterlogged conditions.
3. When planting a bare-root tree, soak the roots in water for an hour beforehand, dig a hole wider than the root spread, and firm the soil well around the roots to eliminate air pockets. Stake securely for the first two to three years.
4. Medlars require very little pruning once their basic framework is established. Aim for an open goblet shape to allow good light penetration, and limit annual pruning to removing dead, diseased, or crossing branches in winter.
5. Do not be alarmed by the unusual harvest and storage requirements — bletting is straightforward. Simply pick the fruits after the first frost, arrange them calyx-end down on trays in a cool outhouse or shed, and check weekly. They are ready when the flesh yields to gentle pressure.
6. The variety 'Nottingham' is widely considered the best choice for UK and northern European gardens, producing medium-sized fruits with excellent flavor on a compact, manageable tree. 'Royal' is another excellent choice, producing larger fruits with a richer taste.
7. Medlars make superb small ornamental trees for mixed borders and cottage garden schemes. Their spreading habit, large white spring flowers, ornamental fruit, and spectacular autumn foliage provide year-round interest beyond just the harvest.
8. If your garden is small, consider grafting the medlar onto a quince rootstock (Quince A or Quince C), which will produce a much more compact tree suitable for restricted spaces while still giving a generous crop.
9. Mulching annually in spring with well-rotted compost or manure is the single most beneficial maintenance task you can perform for your medlar tree, improving soil fertility, moisture retention, and suppressing competing weeds all at once.
10. Medlars are largely free from serious pest and disease problems, making them one of the lowest-maintenance fruit trees available to the home grower. Occasional issues with leaf spot or fireblight can occur but rarely affect the overall health of an established tree.