North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lee Reich <garden@leereich.com>]

It's "service" fruit, which is a name applied to some species of Sorbus.  Fruits of the Service Tree (S. domestica, Zone 6) and the Wild Service Tree (S. torminalis, Zone 6) are edible after they have been bletted, or allowed to soften in a cool room, much like medlars (Mespilus germanica). The Romans enjoyed the brownish, pear shaped fruit, an inch or so long, of the Service Tree, a tree very similar in appearance to the European Mountain Ash. The Wild Service Tree is also known as the Chequer Tree, perhaps because it frequently grows near Chequers inns common in East Sussex. Or perhaps the inns got their names from the nearby trees. At any rate, the fruits, russet red and the size of smallish cherries were once made into drinks served at these inns, as well as offered in markets in Kent and other parts of northern Europe. With sycamore-like leaves, this large tree would hardly be mistaken for a Sorbus. 

Lee Reich, PhD

garden@leereich.com 

Books by Lee Reich:

The Pruning Book

Weedless Gardening

Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden

A Northeast Gardener's Year

On Sep 20, 2007, at 4:34 PM, rob hamilton wrote:

I can across a old illustration from 1700 shows fruit of a Seruice. I was on the same page as Medlars Quince, and Barberry Anyone know what this is?

rob



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