Medlar 'Westerveld' Medium

PICK-UP IS RECOMMENDED FOR THE FULL LENGTH OF THE SAPLINGS (2.5 M). FOR SHIPPING, WE WILL PRUNE THEM BACK TO 1.5M.
The fruits of 'Westerveld' are slightly larger than most seed varieties, and this cultivar is guaranteed to produce a very abundant crop every year. It was registered and named by Tree Nursery Westerveld around 1975 in the inspection of the Dutch General Quality Service for Horticulture.

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 of about 4 cm. The medlar was widely found growing wild in German forests, leading people to believe the tree was indigenous there, which is reflected in the name M. germanica.
The medlar was cultivated in Northern Iran as early as 1000 BCE and arrived in Greece in 700 BCE and Rome in 200 BCE. 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 to Western Europe. It was primarily planted in France and Germany during the Middle Ages, and in cloister gardens in the Netherlands. The fruit is now much less common than it used to be 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 produces dry, small, hard, golden-brown fruits that ripen in October but are then still unpalatable, mealy, and tart. In the autumn (usually after the first night frosts, but this is not necessary for ripening), they become soft and brown, and then they can be eaten after a while. It is recommended to pick them in October or November, as soon as the first fruits begin to fall. You can then store them upside down in a cool place for a few weeks. The fruits become 'bletted', where the color changes from green-white to dark brown through a fermentation process (bletting), and the taste becomes sweet and sickly. For some, the medlar is a delicacy. The saying: "As rotten as a medlar" therefore actually refers to a delicacy. Once the medlar is soft, it only lasts a few days, as it can easily start to mold and truly rot. Ripe medlars can be frozen; frozen unripe fruits will no longer ripen. (text edited from Wikipedia)

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