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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] medlars

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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] medlars
  • Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:46:07 -0700

Being close to the NCGR, I've had a chance to taste most of the medlars in the collection. At this point I'd say the old "Nottingham," which I have, is still the best tasting. Others are larger, but lack flavor and in some cases also have a rather light textured flesh that lacks the satisfying quality of Nottingham. Such types are almost mealy rather than the smooth "apple butter" texture of Nottingham. The NCGR has grafted their trees on pear stock in the past. The general method is to bury the graft union so the medlar scion roots.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
For even more grape lessons, go to http://www.grapeschool.com
For growing supplies and more; http://www.grapegrowersolutions.com

On Sep 26, 2007, at 4:37 PM, Spidra Webster wrote:

Well, the medlar scionwood didn't take. I guess they had to wait
pretty late to "harvest" it and by the time it reached me, my trees
weren't dormant anymore.

I'm thinking of buying a medlar, but I can't find any descriptions of
the difference in taste between the various cultivars. Just
descriptions of fruit size and harvest times. Has anyone tasted
"Macrocarpa" or "Royal"? Those are the ones Raintree has right now.


Also, does anyone know if Stern's Medlar is being propagated by
anyone other than the USDA Germplasm Repository? They are not
distributing scions yet.

Megan Lynch

Berkeley, CA Zone 9b

On Jan 13, 2007, at 12:39 PM, Lon Rombough wrote:

Two features of Medlar make them great ornamentals. One is the huge
blossoms with ruffled edges. Imagine an apple blossom two inches
across. They appear on the tree after the leaves are out, in the
same fashion as a quince. The other is the magnificent fall color-
gold with lots of intense red. An old medlar makes a very
interesting specimen tree, with a rather low, spreading habit.
Though it's more upright when young.
-Lon Rombough
On Jan 13, 2007, at 12:14 PM, Spidra Webster wrote:

I just ordered some medlar scionwood from the USDA Clonal Germplasm
Repository. I have nothing to graft it on except pear, but we'll
see.
I have no idea whether I'll like the taste or the hassle of bletting,
but it's true that the fruit is actually pretty beautiful and I think
it's well worth having in my garden.

Spidra Webster
Berkeley, CA
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