Mespilus

Mespilus is a small genus of flowering plants in the Rosaceae family. It comprises a limited number of species of deciduous trees and shrubs, the best known of which is Mespilus germanica, the medlar. The genus is of historical horticultural interest and is not widely cultivated today.

Distribution and taxonomy

Mespilus germanica is native to southwest Asia and southeastern Europe and has long been cultivated across the Mediterranean region and parts of Europe. The status of other described Mespilus taxa, such as Mespilus canescens (the hairy medlar), varies among authorities: some recognize these as distinct species, while others treat them as synonyms or reclassify them into related genera. Overall, Mespilus remains a small and occasionally contested lineage within the Rosaceae.

Description

Mespilus species are typically small to medium-sized trees with simple, alternate leaves and clusters of white flowers. The fruit is a pome, roughly the size of a small apple, which ripens to a brown, rough-skinned berry-like fruit. Medlars are usually harvested in late autumn and require bletting—an aging process that softens the fruit and improves flavor—to become edible.

Cultivation and uses

Historically, medlars were cultivated and valued for culinary uses in jams, jellies, and desserts, as well as for ornamental purposes. Because fresh medlars have a short shelf life and astringent flavor when firm, bletted fruit were often preferred for consumption. Today, Mespilus germplifica remains primarily of horticultural interest and is grown in specialty collections or as a heritage fruit in some regions.

See also

Medlar; Rosaceae; Pome fruits.