How to grow medlars

The common medlar (Mespilus germanica) forms a large, broad tree up to 8m tall and wide, best suited to medium to large gardens. There are also several varieties, which usually form smaller trees or produce larger or better flavoured fruits. You only need one tree for a good crop, as they are self-pollinating. Most medlar trees are sold grafted onto either hawthorn or quince roots, to keep them more compact – grafted medlar trees eventually reach 4–6m (13–20ft) tall and wide. The three most common rootstocks are Crataegus (hawthorn) and ‘Quince A’, which are semi-vigorous, and ‘Quince C’, which is semi-dwarfing.

When choosing any fruit trees, look in particular for varieties with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed well in trials, so should grow and crop reliably – see our list of AGM fruit and veg. You can also see many productive fruit trees, including medlars, in the fruit and veg areas of the RHS gardens, so do visit to see how they are grown, compare the varieties and pick up useful tips. In particular, the RHS Gardens Hyde Hall and Wisley have several productive medlar trees.

The best time to plant medlar trees is while they’re dormant, from autumn to spring. Trees bought in containers can be planted at other times, but avoid planting in hot, dry weather. Medlars grow best in deep, fertile, well-drained soil, although they’re happy in most soil types except very chalky or poorly drained. They prefer full sun but will still crop in partial shade. The leaves and flowers are easily damaged by strong winds and late frosts, so choose a warm, sheltered planting spot. Medlar trees form a wide canopy, so position them at least 4.5m (15ft) from other trees or buildings.

Prepare your tree for planting by giving it a thorough watering if it’s in a pot or by standing it in a bucket of water for half an hour if it’s a bare-root tree. If planting in a lawn, remove a circle of grass at least 1m (3¼ft) in diameter, so the tree’s roots don’t have to compete with the grass for rainwater and nutrients while they get established. Medlar trees are easy to plant and should settle in quickly – you’ll find lots of advice in our easy planting guides below. 

Medlar trees need little maintenance once well rooted in.

Prune young medlar trees as you would apple and pear trees. The two main options are: a bush form, which is a tree with a clear trunk 75–90cm (2½–3ft) long and an open-centred canopy; a half-standard, with the longer trunk of 1.2–1.5m (4–5ft), which is well suited to medlars and complements their spreading habit. If you get your tree into a good shape early on, then only minimal pruning will be needed in future years. Aim to create an open-centred, goblet shape. 

Established medlar trees can be pruned in winter if required. This usually just involves removing any congested, dead or damaged shoots to keep the canopy open, and shortening any overly long branches so they don’t droop. Medlars are tip-bearers, meaning they fruit on the ends of small side-shoots, so take care not to remove these. Also, as these trees are usually grafted, remove any suckers or shoots that sprout from below the graft point at the base of the trunk.

Harvest medlar fruit in late October or November, after they’ve been exposed to frost. They will still be unripe, hard and bitter, so not yet ready for eating. They will rarely ripen on the tree in the UK. Harvest in dry conditions when the stalk detaches easily from the tree.  

Before eating or cooking medlar fruits, they must be ‘bletted’ or allowed to ripen in storage, to make them soft and sweet. During bletting, the starches turn to sugars, and the acids and tannins decrease – and while this improves the flavour, it also makes the fruits look offputtingly brown and rotten, which may explain why they’re no longer widely grown or harvested. But this process is not rotting, it is ripening – the fruits should be sweet, juicy and aromatic.  

To blet your medlars, first briefly dip the stalks in a strong salt solution to prevent rotting. Then lay the fruits out on trays or straw in a cool, frost-free place, such as a garage. Make sure they aren’t touching and their stalks face upward. After two or three weeks, they will become soft, darker brown and slightly wrinkled. Check them regularly and use as soon as they’re suitably succulent, sweet and aromatic – the flesh should have the consistency and flavour of dark apple sauce, with hints of dates or apricots. The leathery skin is not edible, so just scoop out the soft flesh and remove the large seeds. Bletted medlars are traditionally used to make a fragrant, amber-coloured jelly to complement rich meats and game. They can also be used in sweet desserts, or even eaten uncooked, typically with cheese and port.  

Medlar trees are very hardy, healthy and easy to grow. If cropping is poor, this could be due to late frosts or spring storms damaging the blossom and deterring pollinators. Lack of water can also cause young fruits to be shed.