Quince & Medlars

Quince and medlars make attractive as well as fruitful trees. They grow best in the south of the country and need a warm, sheltered position if they are to do well.

The true quince is an attractive tree with large soft pink, dog rose type flowers and beautiful golden fruit. The fruit is hard, acid and astringent and so cannot be eaten raw but is excellent for jelly and flavouring apple pies.

The medlar makes an attractive tree of weeping habit with large white flowers. The fruit resembles a large, russetty rose hip and is eaten when ‘bletted’, i.e. partially rotted. It has a pleasant caramel flavour and can also be made into jelly.