Medlar 'Bredase Reus'

Bredase Reus is a prolific bearer and has brown fruits up to 6 cm in size with large calyx lobes. The tree grows slightly more vigorously than most seed varieties. The original tree stood in the Experimental Garden of Breda around 1934, but the plant was only distributed from about 1950 onwards.

The medlar forms a small tree that can grow to about 4-5 m high. It flowers in May and June with creamy-white flowers about 4 cm in size. The medlar was widely found growing wild in the forests of Germany, leading people to believe it was native there, which is reflected in the name M. germanica.
The medlar was already planted in Northern Iran in 1000 BC and came to Greece in 700 BC and to Rome in 200 BC. The medlar was further spread by the Romans. It was a very important fruit during the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, even before the introduction of other fruit varieties in Western Europe. It was mainly planted in France and Germany during the Middle Ages, and in monastery gardens in the Low Countries. The fruit is now much less common than before, but is currently regaining some popularity, not least because it is full of vitamin C and is good for the stomach and digestion.
The tree forms dry, small, hard, golden-brown fruits that ripen in October, but are then still unpalatable, mealy and tart. In autumn (usually after the first night frosts, but this is not necessary for ripening) they become soft and brown and can then be eaten after a while. It is recommended to pick them in October or November, as soon as the first fruits start to fall. You can then store them upside down in a cool place for several weeks. The fruits become 'bletted', whereby the color changes from green-white to dark brown through a fermentation process (bletting) and the taste becomes sweet and cloying. For some, the medlar is a delicacy. The saying: "As rotten as a medlar" therefore actually refers to a delicacy. When the medlar is soft, it only lasts a few days, as it can easily become moldy and truly rot. Ripe medlars can be frozen, but frozen unripe fruits will not ripen. (text edited from Wikipedia)

Names:
Latin: Mespilus germanica
Dutch: Mispel
Also: Mespel
English: Medlar