medlar
common medlar
mespilus germanica latin

Mespilus germanica, known as the common medlar is a large shrub or small tree, and the name of the fruit of this tree.

The fruit is an almost spherical pome, 8-12 mm diameter; it differs from Common Medlar fruit in being deep glossy red when ripe (not brown).

It has been shown by genetic analysis to be closely related to the Common Medlar M. germanica, which was hitherto the only known species in the genus.

Common Medlar (Mespilus germanica), the origin of the term (called Mispel in many Germanic languages, mispeli in Finnish, nespolo in Italian, etc.)

Until recently, Mespilus germanica was the only known species of medlar.

The medlar (Mespilus germanica) is another tree I've planted as part of research for a book about uncommon fruits.

Mespilus germanica was already being cultivated about three thousand years ago in the Caspian Sea region of northern Iran.

Mespilus germanica was a very popular fruit in Western Europe during the Victorian era; but has fallen out of favour there.

Amongst shrubs and trees thrive Fraxinus excelsior, hazel, malus, Mespilus germanica, oak, Prunus spinosa, Robinia pseudoacacia, sambucus, sweet chestnut and walnut.

Common Medlar (Mespilus germanica), the origin of the term (called Mispel in many Germanic languages, mispeli in Finnish, nespolo in Italian, etc.)

One, Mespilus germanica, is a long-known native of southwest Asia and possibly also southeastern Europe, and the other, Mespilus canescens, was discovered in North America in 1990.

The other trees on my autumn planting list are the Indian bean tree Catalpa bignonioides and a medlar Mespilus germanica, brought here by the Romans but nowadays found only in old gardens.

The larvae feed on Amelanchier ovalis, Cotoneaster integerrimus, Crataegus, Cydonia oblonga, Malus domestica, Mespilus germanica, Prunus cerasus, Pyrus communis, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus intermedia and Sorbus torminalis.

The larvae feed on Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Malus domestica, Malus sylvestris, Mespilus germanica, Pyrus communis, Prunus avium, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus insititia, Prunus mahaleb and Staphylea pinnata.

Today the arboretum contains about 3200 individual plants of approximately 1000 specimens, including mature specimens of Abies grandis, Abies nordmanniana, Fraxinus ornus, Juglans ailantifolia, Mespilus germanica, Quercus alba, Quercus castaneifolia, Quercus dentata, and Quercus trojana.

Other recorded foodplants include Crataegomespilus arnieresi, Crataegus chrysocarpa, Crataegus monogyna, Crataegus oxyacantha, Crataegus pentagyna, Crataegus rivularis, Cydonia oblonga, Mespilus germanica, Pyracantha coccinea, Pyrus communis, Sorbus aucuparia and Sorbus torminalis.