Zero Fox Tree Crops
Medlar Seed (Mespilus germanica)
Medlar Seed (Mespilus germanica)
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20 seeds stratified in wet sand.
Medlar is a rare and strange fruit that deserves a solid chance on the homestead. It's key attribute and one of the biggest hurdles in learning to love this tree is that the fruit must be bletted (aka left to rot) before being eaten. It hangs on to the tree late into the season similar to persimmon so harvesting this fruit happens at a much different time than the rest of your harvest that you are probably (hopefully) already overwhelmed by. Once bletted the fruit has a cinnamon applesauce type of flavor. It grows lovely leaves and is a full size fruit tree form that is generally resistant to most pests and disease. Give this weirdo a place in your diversely planted homestead.
Seeds are doubly dormant, that is they will need to warm stratify all of next summer outside in moist conditions and then overwinter for its final phase of cold stratification before finally germinating in the spring of '25.
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Planting Directions
Planting Depth: 1/4" to 1/2". Mulch with a layer of sawdust
Nursery Practice: This seed was collected in our zone 5 area but can take colder conditions. The trick with medlar seed is patience. Seed requires a full summer of being dormant (warm stratification) and a full winter of cold stratification before it can germinate. Our seed was collected fresh and never allowed to dry out. We recommend planting in a wooden flat and screening the top if you're keen to get them in the ground. Make sure you bury the flat over next winter at least up to its sides with soil and mulch and then unbury the following spring for germination in the second year. Otherwise you can poke holes in a yogurt container, top and bottom, and layer seeds inside with wet sand and bury outside for all of next summer. Plant in the fall or the following spring.
Planting Out: Seedlings can be field planted out after the 1st or 2nd year out of the home nursery once dormant. Look for a well developed root system and at least 8"-12" of top growth.
The Tree
Height at maturity:Up to 8 meters
Hardiness Zone:
5 though it has a late flowering time so with the right microclimate you could probably pull it off in zone 4
Water Requirements:
Average
Years to bear:
7
Solar:
Part to Full Sun
Pollination:
Self fertile, though will produce better fruit with a friend nearby
Soil:
Tolerates a range of soil types, try to place in a well draining site