medlar

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Read Next

Britannica’s Flower Bingo

Plant seedlings emerging from rich fertile soil

Do Plants Feel Pain?

curly kale. Kale or borecole (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group) a loose leafed, edible plant derived from the cabbage. vegetable

Nutritional Powerhouses: 8 Foods That Pack a Nutritional Punch

Why Do Some Foods Explode in the Microwave?

Some Like It Hot: 9 Soups from Around the World

Discover

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.

10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci

David Cameron. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom talk during the G8 Summit at the Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, June 17, 2013

What’s the Difference Between a President and a Prime Minister?

The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.

26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History

Queen Elizabeth II addresses at opening of Parliament. (Date unknown on photo, but may be 1958, the first time the opening of Parliament was filmed.)

All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained

Why Does the New Year Start on January 1?

A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England

Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution

Abstract vector hi speed internet technology background

History of Technology Timeline

medlar

plant

Also known as: Mespilus

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Related Topics:: Rosaceae; common medlar; Stern’s medlar; fruit

See all related content

medlar, (genus Mespilus), either of two species of the genus Mespilus of the rose family (Rosaceae). The common medlar (M. germanica) is a small, much-branched, deciduous, spinous tree known for its edible fruits. The plant is native to Europe, from the Netherlands southward, and to southwestern Asia. The flowers are white or pink-tinged, with five petals, and produce a brown globular fruit with leafy persistent sepals. The fruit is not fit to eat immediately after picking. It must first undergo a process known as bletting (i.e., the flesh turns soft and brown); it then takes on an agreeable acidic and ...(100 of 172 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.