common medlar
Quick Summary
The common medlar (Mespilus germanica) is a small, deciduous tree native to Europe and southwestern Asia. It belongs to the rose family and is known for its edible fruit. The fruit, which resembles a crab apple, is not edible immediately after picking. It must first undergo a process called bletting, where the flesh softens and turns brown, developing an agreeable, acidic, and somewhat astringent flavor. Several varieties of the common medlar are cultivated. Stern's medlar (M. canescens), discovered in Arkansas, is a critically endangered species with only about 25 individuals remaining in its native habitat.12
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