Fruit of juicy loquat. Medlar: planting, care and cultivation, photo

Medlar is a fruit plant, which can be considered the birthplace of the northern coast of India, China and the Himalayas. This shrub loves wet, so it can mainly be found on the coasts, for example, in Russia it grows in the Sochi region. It also grows well in mountainous areas, which is why it is sometimes called rock medlar.

Loquat jam. Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of medlar;
• 1-2 sprigs of cardamom;
• 350 g sugar.

Cooking method:

Peel the berries from the seeds and peel, for this you just need to pour boiling water over it, and the skin can be easily removed. Cook over low heat until softened, while shaking frequently. Add sugar, cardamom sprigs, bring to a boil and cook until desired consistency. Ready jam Arrange in jars and cover with a lid. There is one secret: if you put nuts in medlar (instead of seeds), then the jam from it will turn out to be very tender.

Conclusion

Well, now you all know about the medlar fruit: what it is, what useful properties it has, where it is used. Be sure to try it, you definitely won't regret it.

Medlar: all about an unusual fruit with a pleasant taste and many useful properties.

In this article, we will talk about interesting fruit like a medlar. Medlar, according to the definition from Wikipedia, is an evergreen tree that produces rather large fruits with fleshy pulp (photo). Inside each fruit are large seeds. To taste, medlar most of all resembles apricots and a little strawberries, and outwardly it is very similar to cherry plum.

Medlar, no doubt useful plant, because all its parts have found application - they are prepared from fruits different desserts and goodies, drinks from seeds, leaves are most often used in the process of tanning and dressing leather, and marvelous crafts are made from tree wood. We will talk in detail about what exactly medlar is useful for a person in the following sections of the article.

Loquat fruits have a lot of useful properties and this is not surprising - they contain a variety of vitamins and elements in abundance: vitamins of groups B, C, beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, copper and selenium. The calorie content of medlar is low - one hundred grams of fruit contains only forty-seven kilocalories, so medlar can be safely included in the diet menu.

We will tell you more about the benefits and harms of medlar in the next section of the article.

Medlar is valued for being useful in many diseases and pathologies. Doctors recommend eating the fruits of the tree for people suffering from asthma, hypertension, and diabetes. The fruits of the medlar will help strengthen the immune system, improve digestion and even remove stones from the kidneys.

Eating medlar compotes is useful for cleansing the body of toxins and other harmful substances, for the prevention of the development of pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. Expectant mothers can also eat medlar - vitamins and minerals in its composition will have the most beneficial effect on the development of the fetus.

However, it should be remembered that the wrong overuse loquat can be harmful to health. The fruit must be eaten only ripe, otherwise indigestion cannot be avoided. It is worth considering the possibility of an allergic reaction to the medlar, and therefore, if you eat this fruit for the first time, do not eat a lot.

There is no diet with medlar, but there is fasting days with these sweet and sour fruits. The use of medlar berries during the day will help cleanse the body of accumulations of harmful and toxic substances, remove salts and excess water. Medlar is quite nutritious and therefore there will not be a hungry fasting day with this fruit.

It is important to remember that there can only be one unloading day with medlar per week, and also that more than a kilogram of fruit per day cannot be consumed.

How to grow medlar at home

Loquat fruits in stores can be seen infrequently, and therefore many fans of this healthy fruit want to grow a tree at home. The easiest way to do this is from the bone.

For home cultivation, Japanese medlar is best suited, but with the cultivation of German medlar, a lot of trouble can arise.

To germinate medlar, you should take a fresh bone, which is important to clean from the pulp immediately before planting. In order for the sprouts to appear faster, before planting in the ground, the stone is rubbed with sandpaper and soaked in warm water for a day. If during the soaking process the bone pops up, it must be thrown away, since it will not give a sprout.

You can plant a stone in the most common seedling soil, but the planting container must be equipped with drainage holes. The bone is added dropwise to moist soil, and then the container is covered with polyethylene. Sprouts should appear in about three weeks.

Details of caring for medlar sprouts can be viewed in the video supplementing the article. The tree will bloom in about the third year of growth, and after another two years it will bear fruit for the first time. If you are not afraid of such terms for growing an evergreen tree, then you can safely take on fruit cultivation, and the medlar will delight you with beautiful flowers and tasty and healthy fruits.

Once my sister brought me a treat from the Black Sea coast - unusual fruits. It was a medlar. I had never seen it before, never eaten it. I really liked her. I became interested in what characteristics the medlar is famous for, beneficial features and contraindications to the use of this fruit.

Medlar - what is it? The genus of fruit trees or medlar shrubs has approximately 30 varieties. In our dachas, plots are successfully cultivated, two types grow:

• medlar Caucasian (aka German),
• Japanese medlar (loqua).

They are completely different from each other, but both have pleasant taste. The fruits of the Japanese variety outwardly resemble an apricot with a tender, fragrant pulp inside - it is difficult to transport, store. German medlar must first be aged or slightly frozen, then it becomes soft, suitable for consumption.

Medlar tree, photo:

This plant blooms with lush white inflorescences, which have a delicate pleasant aroma, somewhat reminiscent of tuberose. Japanese loquat blooms by November, and already in May it pleases with a harvest.

German medlar can be found when traveling through the Crimean mountains, and outside our country - in the Balkans, Asia Minor, Iran (northern regions), Transcaucasia. Due to the wide distribution in the Crimean regions, you can often find another name for the German variety - Crimean medlar.

Flowering medlar, photo:

Differences between Japanese and German loquat:

1. The Japanese has one bone, the German has five small seeds.
2. The fruits of the first have a soft peel, bright saturated yellow color, the other variety has a dense skin of a dark brown hue.
3. In the Japanese variety, the color is tied on the shoots of the current year, in the German variety - on last year's.
4. The foliage of the Japanese medlar has a fluffy coating, another variety boasts waxy leaves.
5. Japanese loquat fruits ripen in spring, have sweet taste, loose pulp. In the German variety, the fruits ripen in autumn, they taste sour, dense.
6. The Japanese variety does not tolerate frost well, the German variety is quite frost-resistant.
7. The Japanese variety is characterized by evergreen foliage, the Germanic leaves fall off.

Japanese medlar, photo:

German medlar, photo:

Medlar - useful properties

It is noteworthy that given plant does not have a single part that is not put to good use. The fruits are consumed fresh, they are used to make jam, make homemade alcoholic drinks, compotes. The bones (seeds) of medlar are dried and then ground to a powder, after which they are brewed like coffee. Even the bark and foliage are used with skill - they are used to process leather (tanning). Wood is used for the manufacture of various crafts, kitchen accessories.

For treatment, prevention various diseases Japanese loquat is more commonly used. Useful elements contained in its fruits, have positive influence to work gastrointestinal tract restore healthy intestinal microflora. The best homemade "medicine" is the pulp of the fruit with the addition of honey. This healthy treat helps with inflammation respiratory tract, helps to cleanse the lungs, relieves coughing, facilitates breathing. Also useful are decoctions from the leaves of the plant, which have phytoncides and are therefore successfully used to treat bronchitis.

The use of medlar fruits helps to eliminate toxins, radionuclides, heavy metal salts from the body, and helps with various kidney ailments.

If you use this fruit for a long time, then the liver and pancreas will normalize their work. Loquat fruits are the strongest natural antioxidants, stimulants of the immune system, their use reduces the risk of oncological diseases.

Medlar, photo:

Also, medlar contains many vitamins - this factor has a positive effect on the functions of cardio-vascular system. Availability practically complete list vitamins of group B, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine contributes to the normalization of blood pressure, acceleration of regeneration processes.

Loquat fruits are so useful that their value can be compared with effective medicines, but they are the product natural origin. Remarkably, even after heat treatment medlar does not lose its useful qualities.

For medicinal purposes, medlar leaves should be harvested in August, and fruits - with the onset of autumn. In addition to the aforementioned jams, juices, fruits are made alcohol tinctures, which can later be used as a medicine. To do this, the bones are removed from the fruits, and the pulp is kneaded, poured with vodka (100 g is enough for 4 fruits). For best effect seeds can also be crushed, crushed, added to fruit pulp. After 5 days, the tincture should be filtered, and then consumed one tablespoon before meals.

A decoction of the leaves is prepared in this way: one tablespoon is poured into 200 g of boiling water, insisted for 1 hour. This decoction can be taken 50 grams after each meal (for general strengthening of the body). For the treatment of peptic ulcer, on the contrary, 3 tablespoons of decoction should be taken orally half an hour before meals. The same infusion helps with bleeding gums. The leaves can also be used as a hemostatic agent: just apply a couple of times fresh leaf to a wound or cut so that the blood stops flowing.

Loquat fruit has some contraindications - it is not recommended to use it for people suffering from hyperacidity(fruits are sour by themselves).

It should be given little by little to small children, making sure that the child does not have an allergic reaction. Breastfeeding mothers should also use caution given fruit for a similar reason.

In acute forms of peptic ulcer, gastritis, serious diseases duodenum medlar is better not to eat. It is undesirable to consume too much fruit, as this increases the risk of an allergic reaction. Children can eat two fruits daily without a threat to health, adults - 4-5 pieces.

Medlar - growing at home

Medlar - how to grow this beautiful, useful tree at home?

There are two ways to achieve this goal: seeds (stones) or cuttings. Most effective result gives reproduction from seeds, since the plant retains all the qualities of the mother tree. Thus, the fruit is cut, the bones are removed, after which they are immersed for a couple of hours in a solution to stimulate plant growth ("Zircon", "Epin"). To remove the overgrown pulp, as well as for speedy ripening, you can process the medlar bones with sandpaper.

A container is prepared in advance, an earthen mixture is poured, which is designed for indoor flowers. The bones should be buried in the soil by about 3 cm, 5 pieces are enough for one pot (one and a half or two liters). After that, you need to water the ground a little, cover the pot with plastic wrap or glass, and install it in a warm room. The soil should be watered as it dries, but airing should be done daily - remove the cover from the pot for a couple of hours. In this case, the air temperature should not be lower than +18°C.

The first sprouts appear after about 40-50 days, after the appearance of three leaves, young plants, together with a clod of earth, are transplanted separately. This process should be done carefully, as the root system of the medlar is fragile. Pin the top should then, if you are interested in getting a bush. If you need a tree, then let the development process go by itself, it is better not to interfere. The top is also pinned down so that the medlar does not stretch upwards, with this approach, flowering can be expected in 4-5 years.

German medlar does not need special care, as it does not bloom in winter. She will be comfortable on the glazed loggia on the north side.

As for the Japanese variety, the first few years will be troublesome - it must be replanted every year, completely replacing the soil. This process is stressful for the plant, so it is best to do it in the summer after fruiting is complete. Japanese loquat begins to bloom in autumn, so fertilizing should be continued throughout the winter.

Since the natural habitat of the medlar is the tropics, it loves a humid climate. That is, she needs daily irrigation from a spray bottle. Watering should be done 3 or 4 times a week, but you should not oversaturate the plant with moisture.

You can also grow medlar by cuttings, the process steps are as follows:

1. This plant takes root in the dark, so the jar for cuttings should be wrapped in dark paper in advance.
2. We fill a jar or other container with water, you can also use a sandy-peat substrate.
3. We cut the lower part of the branch so that the cut angle forms 45 degrees.
4. We remove all the leaves from the handle, leaving only a couple.
5. We put the cutting in water or a substrate, deepening it by 5 cm, water it well.
6. We cover the circumcised plastic bottle, put in a warm place, you can near the radiator.

After 50-60 days, the cuttings will have roots. It can be transplanted to a permanent place of residence. Provide the tree with high-quality watering, lighting, you may first have to use a special botanical lamp. A tree grown from a cutting begins to bear fruit in 4-5 years.

As for care, the medlar prefers at least ten hours of light, warm water for watering, weekly spray irrigation. In the summer, she will not be hindered by a plentiful tropical downpour, which can be arranged at home, under the shower.

No matter which growing method you choose, this plant is worth the effort and care invested in it. Medlar, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which we described above, will become for you a real home healer, decoration of your home. At home, the height of the tree will not exceed one and a half meters, so you can not be afraid that the plant will take up a lot of space.

If you live in the south, a seedling grown from a seed or a cutting can be planted in open ground.

Here is such a medlar growing in my country house. True, it did not grow from a seed - a seedling was bought in the fall of 2015. The seller of seedlings found it difficult to answer what kind of medlar, Japanese or German. Well, let's wait and see...

The top of the winter froze, dried up. But leaves sprouted from the lower buds. The photo was taken in the summer of 2016.

And this is the same seedling a year later (spring 2017). Even the first flower bloomed!

Hope the tree survives next winters… And bring me a good harvest!

You may be interested in the following information:

On the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, a small evergreen tree native to Asia grows - medlar - the beneficial properties and contraindications of this plant have long been studied traditional healers. The exotic fruit has a bright rich aroma and sweet-sour juicy, astringent, tart taste. The use of medlar has a beneficial effect on human immunity. Berries have antioxidant properties, remove toxins, have an anti-inflammatory effect, and help the body cope with certain diseases faster.

What is medlar

Evergreen thorny tree or shrub with small orange fruits, which are collected in brushes of 10 pieces, is called medlar. The plant belongs to the rose family. The homeland of the shrub is China, India, the Himalayas. In Russia, it is grown in Sochi and the Crimea. The tree can grow up to 7 meters in height, its bark is covered with thorns. Oval leaves are leathery, large, felted on the shady side. Small flowers of a yellow or white shade grow singly, have strong smell. small fruits yellow color covered with edging, have a pear-shaped, oval, round shape.

The fruit has a delicate pulp and a pleasant sour taste reminiscent of an apple, strawberry and pear. fruit with unusual name is tasty and at the same time useful - it can cure a person of many diseases, saturate the body with essential trace elements and vitamins. Unripe medlar contains tannins, so it is often used for leather dressing. And from the noble and beautiful brown-red wood they produce interesting crafts.

What does a medlar look like

Fleshy, large fruits can be different forms: pear-shaped or spherical. The thin skin of orange or yellow is easily removed, revealing a juicy tender pulp, inside of which there is one or more brown seeds. Berries grow in clusters up to 12 pieces on each. The most common varieties are:

• Japanese medlar (loqua, nispero, shesek). The evergreen tree has large leaves and yellow-orange fruits resembling apricots. It begins to bloom from September to November, and the fruits ripen in June. The Japanese variety does not tolerate frost. The taste of fruits with sourness, a bit like a pear. It is useful to use the berries fresh, after cleaning them from the skin. Photos of ripe fruits can be found on the gardeners website.
• Medlar Caucasian (German). low tree with long large leaves. The pulp is sweet and sour, tart taste. The fruits are brown or red in color with small inclusions. True, such a fruit becomes if it is frozen. Therefore, berries are harvested at the end of autumn. The German medlar can be seen growing in the Balkans, in Iran, there is also a tree in the Crimea. Due to the wide distribution on the peninsula, another name for the German variety is often found - Crimean medlar.

Compound

The medlar fruit is similar in composition to an apple, it contains vitamins PP, C and P, ascorbic acid to help increase protection against viruses. At the same time, the beneficial properties of the fruits of an evergreen tree differ significantly from healing features apples, so the plant has a beneficial effect on digestion. In addition, the calorie content of medlar is only 45 kcal per 100 g of product, so the fruit is often used in diets. The plant also contains:

• tannins;
• sugar;
• fruit acids;
• phytoncides;
• provitamin A;
• aromatic substances;
• pectins.

How is medlar used

The fruits of an evergreen plant can be eaten processed, but better in fresh. The fruit is actively used for making juice, delicious jam, compote, jam, oriental sweets, alcoholic beverages(liqueurs, wines). Less commonly, they make syrup, sherbet, and candy fillings from berries. They also use salted and pickled fruits as a snack. Fruit sauces go well with sausages, meat dishes, scrambled eggs, pancakes, puddings. Seeds also have an excellent use - they are used to make a high-quality coffee surrogate, which, according to palatability does not match the original.

Often used in medicine japanese loquat- The beneficial properties of the plant help to normalize digestion. Fully ripe fruits perfectly cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. The plant in the form of tinctures is used to treat asthma, colds. A decoction of the leaves is used for bleeding or diarrhea. The fruits are effective in cosmetology in the form of lotions, masks, extracts and as an anti-inflammatory, emollient, tonic. Wood is also valuable, and tannins found in leaves and bark are indispensable in the manufacture of outerwear.

Beneficial features

Thanks to its balanced unique composition, medlar is very healing - it has beneficial properties for people who suffer from diseases such as hypertension, asthma, bronchitis. The leaves of the shrub help with diabetes. Unripe fruits provide invaluable assistance in kidney diseases. The Japanese medlar plant is useful during pregnancy, fruits strengthen the woman's body, supply the body with the vitamins necessary for the full development of the child. What is useful medlar? Regular consumption of fruit strengthens the immune system and contributes to:

• saturation of the body with microelements;
• stabilization of the digestive system, purification of vascular and liver toxins;
• relief from colic in the intestines;
• removal of stones from the kidneys;
• fixation with diarrhea (immature fruits) or relaxation with constipation;
• excretion of sputum in diseases respiratory system;
• reduce the risk of oncology;
• increasing the body's resistance to viral infections;
• pressure stabilization;
• blood clotting;
• lowering sugar;
• prevention of strokes and heart attacks.

Healing properties of leaves

There are useful substances both in the fruits of the medlar and in the leaves of the plant. As a rule, decoctions, infusions are made from them, which are taken to treat bronchitis, asthma, inflammation of the respiratory tract. Leaf extract helps to cope with rashes and inflammation on the skin. Great benefit medlars at diabetes, because the plant helps to increase the amount of insulin, which has a positive effect on the well-being of the patient. In addition, the leaves

• help with diarrhea
• prevent premature aging;
• prevent the occurrence of strokes, heart attacks;
• reduce "bad" cholesterol;
• remove salt from the body;
• normalize arterial pressure;
• used to treat cough.

Bones

The seeds from the fruits of the plant also have useful properties. If the seeds are pre-dried and then ground, you get a surrogate that tastes like coffee. At the same time, the drink has a tonic property. A tincture of seeds, honey and alcohol quickly relieves pain and helps with asthma. Due to the fact that the seeds contain a small number of toxic substances, they can only be consumed in processed form: fried, dried, ground.

Medlar to maintain a slim figure

All recipes for weight loss, as a rule, are aimed at stabilizing the work of the gastrointestinal tract and removing water. Medlar is fully consistent with these goals. The use of fruits from this tree strengthens the intestines, cleanses the body well and saturates it. useful substances. Biochemical composition fruit will help not feel hungry. It is useful to use the fruits on fasting days, because. The fruit is low in calories and rich in fiber. The medlar diet should be only one day a week. It is not recommended to consume more than one kilogram of fruit.

Medlar in cosmetology

exotic fruit often used in cosmetic purposes. Juicy pulp fruit helps fight acne and various rashes, smoothes wrinkles, moisturizes and nourishes the skin, and brightens pigmentation. A cream based on medlar extract can increase skin elasticity and firmness. The tonic from the leaves is good at fighting irritation on the face and other parts of the body.

A mask of evergreen berries will make the skin smooth. Fruit-based tonic lotion helps fight acne, blackheads, and inflammation on the face. To prepare it, you only need to mix 250 grams of fruit with a glass (100 ml) of vodka. This mixture should be wiped on the face. Store the lotion in a cool, dark place or refrigerator.

Medlar in folk medicine

The beneficial properties of the evergreen plant have been known for a long time. You can find many recipes with medlar in folk medicine. For example, a decoction prepared from unripe fruits is used to treat urolithiasis. If you make a decoction of the leaves, then you can drink it as a fixing, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and antioxidant agent. Some healers recommend eating the fruit to relieve kidney disease. And to cleanse the body of toxins, you can use this recipe:

1. Need to take big spoon dried leaves, place them in a thermos.
2. Next, pour the mixture with half a liter of boiling water.
3. The liquid should be filtered after three hours.
4. Received healing decoction should be consumed 50 ml 20 minutes before meals.
5. A cleansing course should be carried out once every four months for two weeks.

In diseases of the stomach, you can make a decoction of dried seeds. To do this, you need to take 2 tablespoons of ground seeds and 500 ml of water. Everything must be placed in a saucepan and put on slow fire for 20 minutes, cool a little and drink half a glass on an empty stomach. Medlar can still stop internal bleeding. To do this, use 50 ml of decoction during each meal.

Contraindications

The unripe fruits of the plant are contraindicated in people who suffer peptic ulcer, inflammation of the pancreas, gastritis with high acidity. It must be remembered that with such diseases it is not recommended even to drink Fresh Juice from medlar, but jam and jam made from fruit, on the contrary, have a beneficial effect on the stomach. With caution, it is necessary to introduce fruits into the diet of children, because. they can provoke an allergic reaction. In addition, berries cannot be used:

• with open wounds;
• people with individual intolerance to the product;
• with rosacea and eczema;
• with inflammation on the skin;
• breastfeeding women;
• with cholecystitis.

When to pick fruit

Exotic fruits, growing in Russia, as a rule, are harvested in late autumn. This is especially true of the Caucasian variety, because. sour taste fruit after frost changes to sweet, they become soft. Should choose ripe fruit medium size, not hard and not quite soft, without dark spots. Medlar has a short shelf life, while it is practically not subject to transportation.

How to eat

To useful nutrients entered the body faster, the berries should be eaten fresh, while not forgetting to remove the bones. The most delicious are those fruits that have been hanging on a tree for a long time, bright, medium-sized, without spots. The little ones are often sour. You can peel the peel or eat with it. Marmalade is made from berries, jam is cooked, compotes and alcohol tinctures are prepared, dried, and used in desserts. Even after being processed, the fruit does not lose its beneficial properties, and dishes from it restore the microflora and improve digestion.

Video

FAMILY: Pink

APPEARANCE: Evergreen tree up to 6-10 m in height with almost horizontal, gray-brown branches forming a real tent of the crown.

LEAVES: Large, large leathery, oblong-oval, pointed, dark green

FRUITS: Reminiscent of small apricots or large hawthorn, painted in orange and light yellow tones, collected in large clusters

Medlar is an evergreen small tree native to China and India. Juicy, sweet with a pleasant sourness, the pulp of this fruit tastes like apricot, apple and strawberries combined.

Medlar is a whole genus of plants, which includes almost 30 species. However, there are two main ones: German and Japanese.

The tree grows in countries with a warm climate, where the air temperature does not fall below 0 degrees, although the plant tolerates temperatures down to -15 degrees, but only for a short time.

We have in middle lane medlar is grown only as indoor plant. at home!

Germanic medlar blooms in spring, and the fruits ripen in autumn; Japanese medlar (or loquat) begins to bloom in autumn (October-November), and bears fruit in May-June. At the same time, the fruits of the Japanese medlar

very sweet and tasty, and the German one with sourness - they need to be frozen before eating or taken to a warm place so that they lie down for a bit.

seed way. Unlike many fruit crops, medlar plants grown from seed retain maternal qualities. To do this, it is better to select seeds from the largest fruits of high-yielding varieties.

In the southern regions, seeds (bones) of medlar can be sown immediately in open ground. In regions with a temperate climate, the seedling method is used (the seeds are germinated in a room with good lighting at a temperature of + 10 degrees).

Medlar blooms in the 4-5th year; average yield from one tree is 6o-75 kg, maximum - 300 kg

Garden varieties and hybrids of Japanese and German loquat can be propagated by grafting (budding) on ​​hawthorn, y and pear.

But the most effective method- cuttings. Cuttings are cut into a length of 10-12 cm. The leaves are reduced by 3/4. For better root formation, the cuttings are treated with a growth stimulator, maintain high humidity in the room (95-100%) and a temperature not lower than +22 degrees, but not higher than +30.

On a note:

In Europe, the Japanese medlar was originally considered an ornamental plant. now it is grown as a fruit, especially widely in Israel, Italy, Turkey, where the fruits are called Japanese apples.

Medlar - home care

At home, the plant feels great in a spacious flowerpot (in summer, the medlar can be taken out into the street) and at the same time bears excellent fruit. Seedling care - watering, fertilizing, shaping, and most importantly - choosing a place with good lighting. Young plants develop very quickly. After the seedlings have formed two or three pairs of true leaves, you can transplant the medlar into a permanent large container. The soil for transplantation needs loose and fertile. Once the plant has been transplanted, it is watered abundantly and humid conditions are created for a week. After each watering, the ground around the seedling is loosened.

During the growth period, the plant needs additional nutritional supplements (mineral and organic fertilizers). It is also important that during the growth of the earthen lump it is always wet. And only during the dormant-winter period, the medlar can be put on a warmed balcony, where the temperature does not fall below -2 degrees, - at this time, slight drying of the soil is permissible.

Medlar prefers lands with a neutral reaction, but in general it is undemanding to soils. In the case of the occurrence of groundwater above 1 m, it is better to place it on a mound. Medlar can be planted both in partial shade and in the light, but in good light the plant will give a greater yield.

Medlar tolerates pruning well, so you can form its crown in the form of a tree or bush. With regular pruning to limit height growth, a tree in a container will usually reach a height of about 1.5 m.

In a plant grown from seed, the first flowering and fruiting occurs in the 4-5th year.

Medlar - beneficial properties of the fruit

Loquat fruits contain sugars, fruit acids, vitamins C, PP, P, provitamin A, pectins, phytoncides, aromatic and tannins

Medlar has a tonic effect on the whole body, stimulates immune system, prevents premature aging, prevents the development of oncology, the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes.

The pulp of the fruit, mashed with honey (1: 1), facilitates breathing, clears the lungs of sputum, relieves shortness of breath, pain in the heart and prolonged cough.

For colds, gargle with an infusion of medlar leaves (1 tablespoon of dry leaves per 1 tablespoon of boiling water, insist for half an hour).

medlar- fruit varieties

Growing medlar - readers share their experiences

Guest from Turkey

Knowing that I am a lover of the exotic, last year an acquaintance brought me from a Turkish resort yellow, reminiscent of a wild pear, the fruits of Japanese medlar (lokva). They are 3-5 cm in size. They taste like a mixture of cherries and pears. Inside, 3-4 large brown bones. I collected them and decided to plant them.

About culture

But before that, I read a little about culture. It turned out that it grows in the south and southeast of Asia in the form of shrubs or trees up to 8 m high. The leaves are leathery on top and pubescent below.

The small flowers of the plant, collected in brushes, are also covered with felt fluff. Medlar blooms in autumn, and the fruits on it ripen in late spring-early summer. The culture withstands winter temperatures down to -10 °. In our area, it can only be grown in greenhouses or room conditions.

The use of loquat fruit

Jams, compotes, wine are made from the fruits of the medlar. Due to the fact that they are very tender, easily damaged and do not last long, medlar is rarely exported. I have not seen it for sale in our stores. It's a pity, because the fruits are not only tasty, but also healing. They contain a lot of potassium, which is good for the heart.

Loquat bones are fried, ground and brewed into surrogate coffee (decaffeinated). Useful and inflorescences of medlar. A decoction of them is drunk for diseases of the respiratory tract.

The main thing - do not confuse

I also learned that there are two types of medlar: Japanese (the fruits of which were brought to me) and German. Mine belongs to the rose family (apple subfamily). And the German (Caucasian) grows in the Caucasus. She also belongs to the pink family, but to a different genus. These are deciduous trees that withstand frosts down to -35 °. They bloom with white or pink flowers resembling a dog rose. Their fruits are 4-7 cm in size, taste similar to an apple with quince.

Growing seedlings

From the bones of the Japanese medlar that I collected, I chose the largest ones and soaked them for a day in a little pink solution potassium permanganate. Then he planted in a seedling box with a fertile mixture: turf, garden soil, humus and sand (4:2:1:1). I deepened it by 2-4 cm. I watered the crop abundantly and covered it with a film.

After 1.5 months, sprouts appeared. Germination fresh bones medlars turned out to be high - 7 pieces out of 10.

Medlar: care

At first, I shaded the shoots from the sun with gauze. When they grew up, I dived them into pots with a volume of 2 liters. By spring, my plants had reached

50 cm. I gave 3 bushes to friends, and left 4 for myself.

When the frosts passed, I transplanted the seedlings into pots of 3 liters and put them on the balcony. They feel great there. In the fall, I plan to equip the room with a backlight to provide the plants with up to 12 hours of daylight. I hope to get fruit over time.

Loquat cuttings

Seedlings bear fruit in the 5-6th year. But if you get medlar cuttings, you can get fruits already in the 3-4th year.

For cuttings, select shoots with last year's growth. Cut off their tips (12-16 cm long with two buds) at a right angle. Sprinkle slices coal dust. Cut the leaves in half and stick the cuttings vertically 2-3 cm into the wet sand. Top them with jars. A month later, roots should appear. Then plant the cuttings in separate pots.

Top dressing and shaping medlar

Medlar is fed every 2 weeks: during growth and flowering, nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers are 10-15 g per Yul, and during fruit formation, with a solution of cow manure (1 kg) and ash (100 g) per 10 l of water. It should be watered abundantly in summer, and less in winter.

In room conditions, plants need to be formed by pinching the shoots: for standard cultivation - lower, for bush - lateral. It is necessary to transplant the medlar until the age of 10 annually, and then 1 time 8 3-4 years.

I can't stop admiring my medlar bushes. I advise everyone to start this culture - if not for the sake of fruits, then for the sake of decorating the interior.

Medlar - care: questions and answers

At good care medlar from the seeds blooms and bears fruit in the fourth year. If care is insufficient, it bears fruit in the third year. This is true!

Medlar is a solid tree 6-8 m high. But I have no more than 3 m - a pruner helps. I remove excess and unhealthy branches at any time of the year. As a result, I give the shape I need and get large, juicy fruits.

Medlar lays a lot of fruits. We must muster up the courage and remove about half after their appearance. This must be done if you need high-quality fruits, and not firewood.

One normal tree with a hook will provide a family of 4-5 people with a crop per year.

Unnecessary branches should be cut off. I always treat the place of pruning with garden pitch - a good, but thin layer.

I carefully tilt straight-growing branches from the periphery.

The better the care, the sooner the tree will die. He needs loose soil and watering once a month!

I water away from the trunk. I repeat: once a month!

I do not touch the first flowers. The tree will decide for itself whether to keep or discard them. But the first harvest should consist of 5-10 fruits, no more.

The fruits ripen unevenly. To make them ripen faster, keep them overnight in the refrigerator or freezer. And if you want to store the crop for more than one month, pre-treat the fruits with salt water.

You can store it anywhere, but not in dampness.

Many readers ask what the fruits are good for. I think when they are on your table, you will quickly decide what to do with them: syrups, juices, jam (if the children do not eat everything at once). I also make wine, liquor. The dried fruits and leaves are useful for treating asthma, bronchitis, shortness of breath and kidney disease. I'll tell you a secret: medlar is very useful for men!

It is difficult for me to judge what fruits are sold in your market. There are several species, of which only the German medlar is unpretentious and frost-resistant.

Medlar is a deciduous tree, which reminds others fruit trees. But on New Year's Eve it is all in fruit!

Petr VLADYKIN, Moscow region M.KASTRITSKAYA, Ph.D. agricultural sciences R. Magomedsharifov

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