Medlar

Do you want to plant a Medlar? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Medlar, and on pruning and caring for your Medlar.
Back to overview

General characteristics of a Medlar

The medlar (or “wild medlar”) is a plant from the rose family that is also considered a “forgotten fruit”. There are also wild medlars. The difference between the wild and the feral varieties is that the former has thorns. The tree bears fruit that ripens in October or November. However, they are not yet edible at that point. Only after a few days of night frost or cold weather do the fruits become mealy and brown and ready to eat. The taste of this “forgotten fruit” is sweet and sour, somewhere between apple and pear, with a hint of apricot.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Characteristics


How to plant a Medlar

Prefers nutrient-rich clay soil. If planted in sandy soil, it is best to add potting soil/compost to the planting hole.


General

Origin
Native
Integrated
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 2 Up to Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years Up to year
Maximum Age Up to year
Required Space Up to m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating Yes
Reproduction Method
To cut (cutting is between 5 and 50 cm)
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen Yes
Summer July tot August
Winter December tot March
Leaf Shapes Elliptical
Easy to prune Yes

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Standing upright
Spread out
Bud Shape
Round

Other

Root
Broad root system
Bloom
Has flowers
Has fruits
Wind sensitivity Not sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases Information not available

Light requirement of the Medlar

The Medlar thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun

    • Suitable soil types for the Medlar

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Medlar to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Medlar

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Medlar in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Medlar

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Medlar like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? 30
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Hoverflies
    Beetles
    Wasps
    Bumblebees
    Mites
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer April Up to May

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Badgers
    Beavers
    Squirrel
    Ferret
    Goat
    Herbivorous rodents
    Deer
    Dog
    Cat
    Chicken
    Cow
    Human
    Mouse
    Horse
    Roe deer
    Sheep
    Pig
    Foxes
    Wild boar

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). Yes
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Medlar looks like

    Medlar; a mature tree
    Medlar in autumn

    This is what the fruits of a Medlar look like

    Fruit of the medlar

    This is what a Medlar in bloom looks like

    Flower of the medlar