Does the medlar grow in the Crimea. Are there any contraindications for this fruit? Medlar - beneficial properties of the fruit

Medlar is an evergreen or deciduous fruit plant from the Rosaceae family. It belongs to the subfamily Apple and is also found under the names loqua, shesek and eriobothria. Plants live in subtropical regions in the southeast and south of Asia (from Japan to Abkhazia). At home, the fruits of medlar are known to everyone. They are highly valued for taste qualities and medicinal properties. But in more northern regions few people know about this plant, since the fruits are practically unsuitable for transportation. In fact, it is not so difficult to grow medlar in the garden and even at home.

Botanical description

Medlar is a perennial tree or large shrub 4-8 m high. Annual growth is most intense at the age of up to 7 years. Life expectancy reaches 50 years. The root system is highly branched, it is located close to the soil surface. The branches are covered with smooth dark brown, almost black, bark. Young shoots have a reddish-gray color and felt pubescence.

Large whole leaves of an elongated or oval shape are pubescent or bare. The leathery surface is quite hard to the touch. Between the veins the foliage is wrinkled, swollen. The length of the plate reaches 30 cm, and the width is 8 cm. The leaves have a uniform dark green color.

Flowering begins in spring (April-May) or autumn (October-November). In the axils of the leaves of young or last year's branches, dense panicles bloom with cream or white flowers 1-2 cm in diameter. Each corolla has 5 free petals, 2-3 ovaries and up to 40 stamens. Flowers exude a pleasant sweetish aroma with hints of almonds.

A few weeks after flowering, fleshy fruits of oval, pear-shaped or rounded shape ripen. Their diameter is about 6-8 cm. In the center there are 1-5 rather large seeds with a tough brown skin. The fruits contain yellow or orange juicy flesh. The medlar berry is edible. It has a sweet and sour taste and is similar to apple, pear and strawberry at the same time. The peel of the fruit is thin and easily damaged, so they are often used in fresh, do not store or transport.

Types of medlar

A very modest genus of medlar has only 3 species. Of these, 2 are used in horticulture.

The plant in the form of a sprawling tree up to 8 m in height has rather thin branches covered with dark bark. Oval foliage up to 25 cm long and 7-8 cm wide has a pubescent leathery surface. Leaves grow on small petioles. Paniculate inflorescences bloom in September-October at the ends of the shoots. They consist of white or yellowish flowers with a diameter of 1-2 cm. The heat-loving variety absolutely does not tolerate negative temperatures. By the end of spring, round or pear-shaped fruits ripen. They are arranged in clusters up to 12 pieces. The berries are juicy, fragrant pulp and bright yellow skin. Varieties:

• Tanaka - orange-yellow pear-shaped fruits with pinkish flesh and sweet and sour taste;
• Champagne - yellow fruits with fleecy skin and tender pulp;
• Siles - apricot-like fruits weighing up to 80 g;
• Morozko - a variety for the home and greenhouse sets large red-brown fruits without astringency.

Caucasian or Crimean. Deciduous plant in the tropics can grow up to 8 m in height. Its smooth, highly branched shoots are covered with dark green oval leaves 8-15 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. The foliage turns red in autumn. White flowers bloom in May. The fruits ripen in autumn. They are round in shape and reddish-brown in color. Inside is not a large number of seeds. Before the onset of frost, the flesh is tart, sour and hard, and then becomes soft and sweet. The species is winter-hardy and suitable for open ground in temperate climates.

Reproduction methods

Medlar can be grown in two ways:

• from the bone;
• vegetatively.

IN southern regions landing is carried out immediately open ground otherwise, seedlings should be pre-grown. Before planting, they try not to extract the seeds from the fruits, as they quickly lose their germination when dry. They must first be scarified, and then soaked in water for 2-3 days. warm water. After that, they are distributed in boxes with wet sand or sawdust. For 2 weeks, the container is placed in the refrigerator, and then returned to a warm room for the same period. The alternation is repeated for three months. Then the seeds are planted in pots with sandy-peat soil to a depth of 3 cm. Without such preparation, germination can last up to a year.

Shoots appear in 30-40 days. Plants with 3-4 leaves dive, cutting the root. Medlar seedlings develop quite quickly and do not require additional care. Planting is desirable to carry out with the preservation of a clod of earth, so as not to damage the fragile roots. If instead of a tree you need to get a shrub, pinch the top. Flowering and fruiting begins from 4-5 years of age.

The Caucasian medlar can be propagated by layering. To do this, on the lower branch in the fall, the bark is damaged and the shoot is pressed to the ground. It is fixed and sprinkled with soil. The cuttings are watered regularly. The rooting process is not fast, a full-fledged rhizome will develop only after 2 years. The separation of the layering and transplantation is carried out after the foliage has fallen.

Japanese loquat is best propagated vegetatively by cuttings. To do this, use last year's shoots with 2 nodes 12-15 cm long. The leaf plates are shortened by half. The cut is treated with wood ash and planted in pots with loose fertile soil to a depth of 4-5 cm strictly vertically. The stalk is watered and covered with a film. The room temperature must be maintained at +25…+27°C. Rooting lasts about a month.

Varietal plants are also propagated by grafting. As a stock, you can use plum, pear, hawthorn, quince. The graft is fixed in a split or behind the bark.

Planting and care in the open field

Most often, outside the subtropics, German medlar and its varieties are grown in the garden. They try to choose the most sunny and open place for the plant. Soils should be light, loose and nutritious (sandy loam soil, soddy soil, loam). Slightly acidic soil with deep waters is best suited.

Since the medlar has a superficial rhizome, a landing hole 50-70 cm deep will be quite sufficient. It should be a third more than the root system of the plant. The free space is filled with drainage material (expanded clay, crushed stone, gravel). The space between the roots is filled with earth mixed with sand and compost.

Immediately after planting, the plants are fertilized with nitrophoska or superphosphate. The ground near the trunk is mulched with peat or humus. Although medlar is a dioecious plant, for a better harvest, 2-3 trees are planted nearby to allow for cross-pollination. But planting an apricot or a nut next to it is not worth it. Each copy needs 3-4 m of free space.

Loquat loves regular watering, but the portion of the liquid should be such that it quickly absorbs into the soil. You should also loosen the soil more often.

The plant has a long growing season, so there is a risk of young shoots not ripening and freezing. Fertilizer is applied to speed up the process. Young seedlings are fed every 20-25 days, starting from the moment the fruits appear. Older plants - every 1.5-2 months. Mullein solution, as well as phosphorus and potassium complexes are used as dressings.

To form a crown and stimulate the harvest, pruning is carried out regularly, since flowers and fruits are formed on shoots of 1-2 years of life. You should regularly remove 1-2 old branches and thin out thickened places. Usually cut 25-50% of the branches.

Medlar almost does not suffer from plant diseases. Sometimes it is affected by sooty fungus or brown rust. As a preventive measure in early spring (before the leaves appear), they are treated with "Bordeaux liquid" (3%). Sometimes on the leaves you can see scale insects or aphids. They help bioinsecticides. They are quite harmless and do not accumulate in fruits.

Growing at home

Japanese medlar has long been used as an ornamental plant for greenhouses, winter gardens and other premises. They call it winterbloom. The plant can be planted in a pot or a large skating rink. Young specimens are transplanted every 2-4 years, and over time they only replace the topsoil.

Medlar loves light very much, so it should be placed in the most illuminated place, under direct sunlight. Varieties that bloom in winter need additional lighting, otherwise the fruits may not start.

The optimum air temperature is +18…+25°C. In the summer, the pot is exposed to fresh air. It is advisable to protect the plant from drafts and bring it in during cold snaps. In winter, it is recommended to lower the temperature to +2…+5°C.

Water indoor medlar often and plentifully. It is desirable that the soil does not dry out at all. In winter, watering is reduced to prevent dampness and the development of rot. The soil is loosened between irrigations.

Since plants live in the tropics, high humidity is important for them. However, frequent spraying is undesirable for pubescent leaves. It is better to place pallets with water and wet expanded clay nearby. Warm showers are allowed from time to time.

In April-September, the bushes are fed twice a month with organic fertilizer. It is well bred and poured into the soil.

Indoor plants are often formed in the form of a lush bush, tree or bonsai. To do this, pinching is carried out and excess shoots are removed. Lateral branches are formed weakly and only from the axils of the upper pair of leaves. The best time for pruning is after ripening and fruit picking.

Beneficial features

Medlar is that rare plant in which absolutely everything is useful. The fruits contain a large amount of sucrose, fructose, pectins. All parts contain vitamins, micro and macro elements, as well as tannins and phytoncides.

The fruits can be eaten fresh, used to make jam, compote and alcoholic beverages. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from leaves and bark. Preparations normalize digestion, fight intestinal infections and colic. During pregnancy, the use of berries allows you to get female body everything necessary for the development of the fetus. They have wound healing, soothing, disinfecting properties. Recently, scientists have discovered substances in medlar that can slow down the development of cancer cells.

However, in everything you need to know the measure. The plant contains a small amount of cyanide, which can accumulate in the body and lead to poisoning. Excessive consumption of fruits, especially unripe ones, has a laxative effect. Another medlar is contraindicated for people suffering from hyperacidity stomach, gastritis and allergies.

Do you know what a medlar is? What is this - musical instrument, Oriental beauty or a treat? Or maybe medlar fruit? Hearing this sing-song name, one immediately recalls the song “Brichmulla” by Sergei Nikitin, the oriental bazaar, chased dishes, baklava, churchkhela, mysterious unexplored medlar stand in front of your eyes. But since one cannot live in ignorance, it is worthwhile to thoroughly understand this unfamiliar concept.

What is medlar

What is a medlar? There are many names for this cute fruit: Japanese eriobotria, loqua, biwa, shesek. First of all, medlar is fruit tree reaching in the wild 10 meters of the Pink family, the Yablonev subfamily. Despite the fact that there are many varieties and bred varieties, there are about 1000 of them in China, and about a hundred in Algeria and the Iberian Peninsula, Japanese medlar and Caucasian (German) are distinguished. Japanese - biwa (lokva), being an evergreen tree, has also become widespread in landscape design.

Where does it grow

The climate where it grows Japanese loquat, softer and more humid than the one where the Caucasian (Germanic) grows. Although the tree itself is winter-hardy and withstands short-term cold snaps. China is considered its homeland, from which it was brought to Japan, where it has been growing for more than 1000 years. The distribution area is extensive: China, Japan, Asia, warm Mediterranean countries: Spain, Israel, Algeria, and the Black Sea coast: Turkey, Abkhazia. The Caucasian variant is found in the Balkans, northern regions of Iran and Transcaucasia. This plant prefers mountainous terrain, and was originally grown in Europe for ornamental purposes.

What is this fruit

So, what is this fruit that grows from the Japanese archipelago to the Atlantic? Japanese name biwa fruit, also called the national plucked instrument, of the lute family, resembling a rounded shape. In color and size, the fruits of the loquat resemble.

Taste

The taste of fruits is fresh, juicy, depending on the degree of ripening and variety, sweet, sweet-sour or slightly acid, reminiscent of ripe pear, meaty .

As it is

When choosing a loquat, you must definitely pay attention to the skin. It should be free of cracks, damage and stains. Because are of the greatest value fresh fruits, in the process of harvesting they are removed in clusters along with the stalk. Brushes are cut with a knife or secateurs. After the fruit is separated from the brush. The pits are removed before the fruit is eaten. When using the Caucasian medlar, which has a dense hard peel, the fruits are also cleaned of it. Peeled fruits are eaten fresh, added to fruit salads sprinkled with grated coconut. Medlar contains a significant amount of pectin, so excellent jams and curd are obtained from it, compotes are boiled, added to liqueurs and tinctures.

In Spain, this fruit is used as main ingredient for making sauce for meat, and chutney with medlar, cloves, cinnamon and is popular in eastern countries.

What does a medlar look like

Loquat grows on evergreen trees of medium size 4-7 meters, due to dense pubescence, the inflorescences have a reddish gray color, resembling panicles in appearance.

The leaves of the medlar are thick, hard, leathery with clear veins, rich dark green in color with a short stalk.

Flowering is slightly fragrant.

The fruits of the medlar are collected in bunches of 5-30 pieces. Most of the time it's bright. yellow fruit size 3-5 cm.

Peel - yellow, orange, rarely red. Fruit pulp - from white color to yellow with an orange tint.

Beneficial features

Medlar (lokva) has a rich vitamin composition, thanks to which it is very popular product in Japan. And as everyone remembers, the Japanese are famous for their longevity. This fruit has a large amount of water, more than 80%, it perfectly quenches thirst, and low sugar content, so it will not affect your figure in any way. The triterpent contained in the composition stimulates the production of insulin, so medlar can be eaten by people who are ill diabetes. Active substances, such as phytoncides, inhibit the growth of bacteria and microscopic fungi.

The ground medlar bones are brewed in the form of coffee, or beaten with a whisk into foam, which is added to ready meal. Lokva is the most valuable honey plant in the subtropical climate.
Medlar is useful not only in terms of nutrition. Souvenirs are made from reddish wood, kitchen utensils. The bark and leaves are used for tanning leather.

calories

Medlar and its per 100 grams of product is: 45-48 kcal.

Compound

• water - 87%,
• fats - 0.1%,
• carbohydrates - 10%,
• proteins - 0.4%,
• alimentary fiber- 2%, ash - 0.5%

vitamins

Vitamins that this fruit is full of: beta-carotene (vitamin A), B vitamins, incl. folic acid, ascorbic and malic acids.

trace elements

Also, this fruit is rich in macro and micro elements: iron and copper, potassium and calcium, iodine and selenium, phosphorus and sodium, manganese, etc.

What is useful medlar

So what is the special benefit and is harm to the body possible when eating this little-known fruit? In the east, medlar has long been used in traditional medicine and cosmetology. A rich set of acids gives the body energy and supports the immune system, being a natural antioxidant.

Loquat flowers have an expectorant property, so a decoction of flowers is used to treat bronchitis, coughs and asthma, rid the body of mucus.

Do not forget about a comprehensive approach to health. If you overindulge in fried, fatty, spicy, and salty foods, don't expect a high fruit intake to solve your problems. A balanced, varied diet is the key to health.

Using, medlar fruit and its beneficial features, you can gradually and systematically improve the body step by step. Saturating the body with the fluid it needs, regularly removing toxins from the body, you cleanse the intestines. Given that it is in the intestines that up to 80% of the cells responsible for immunity are formed, by improving the absorption of nutrients, you help to better assimilate beneficial substances. healthy eating and a thoughtful attitude to your body help keep the heart and circulatory system in good condition.

In what other cases is this tasty fruit useful? Medlar its benefits and harms.

Medlar during pregnancy

The load on the woman's body is increasing. All pre-existing diseases appear. And often, medication is not recommended. Therefore, the fruit is also useful for the expectant mother, saturating the body with the necessary vitamins and microelements. Properly formulated nutrition and the implementation of the recommendations of the attending physician are the key to the health of the expectant mother and baby.

Medlar for beauty

As noted earlier, all parts of this plant are used in cosmetics and home skin care products. Face masks are made from the pulp, decoctions and pomace from the leaves are used for lotions designed to combat problematic skin and even during adolescence. On the Internet, there are options for masks and face lotions. But do not forget that they can only be used fresh, and in no case is it recommended to store, because. instead of benefit or burn.

Loquat to maintain a slim figure

If you are maintaining weight or want to adjust downwards, the Loquat is here to help. Nourishes the body nutrients, saturates cells with moisture, cleanses the intestines and removes toxins at a very low calorie content.

Treatment of diabetes and heart disease

By removing excess fluid from the body, improving kidney filtration, this outlandish fruit reduces arterial pressure and vascular stress. Malic acid is involved in the breakdown of fats and leads to a decrease in bad cholesterol in the blood.

Medlar is a subtropical plant belonging to the Rosaceae family. The most common are two types:

• Medlar Caucasian (German).
• Japanese medlar.

This article will focus on the medlar, the photo of which is presented below.

The Caucasian and Japanese medlar differ significantly from each other. It reaches a height of six meters, but if grown at home, it can only grow up to two meters. It has sweet and tasty fruits that contain a large amount of vitamins and nutrients.

Caucasian medlar is a tree with a well-developed trunk, 20 centimeters in diameter shedding leaves in winter. It may be in the form of a shrub.

It begins to bloom at the end of May. The fruits of this plant ripen in autumn, are red-brown in color and become edible after frost. The taste of the pulp is sweet and sour. The shape of the fruit is usually spherical or oval. One fruit has several seeds. They remain on the branches all winter.

Caucasian medlar is a winter-hardy plant, can grow even in temperate latitudes. She has a long growing season, lasting until the first frost, so young shoots in the cold suffer significantly. A photo of the Caucasian medlar is shown below.

Features of Japanese medlar

The Japanese loquat is an evergreen tree. Its height is 3-5 meters. The leaves are quite large, reaching 25 cm long and 8 cm wide. The shape is oblong-oval. Top part leaves are glossy and dark green, while the underside is greenish-gray and velvety.

Its main feature is that the period of flowering and fruiting falls on completely different dates than all garden plants. The flowering period lasts from September to March, and the fruits ripen in late May - early June.

Shoots and inflorescences are covered pubescence. Its flowers have several shades, which depend on the variety, they are very fragrant, reminiscent of almonds.

The fruits are pear-shaped, spherical, flattened and oval. They have a pleasantly sweet taste.

Japanese loquat is a heat-loving plant. At temperatures below -15, it dies, so it is grown in the southern regions. A photo of the Japanese medlar is shown below.

Medlar Caucasian and Japanese have common characteristics:

• Shade-tolerant;
• drought resistant;
• Undemanding to the soil;
• Self fertile.

The taste of fruits and the beneficial properties of medlar

The fruits of both species are used for fresh food. The fruits of the Japanese medlar are very amazing in taste and reminiscent of apple, strawberry and apricot simultaneously. Germanic medlar has tart fruits, but with the onset of the first frosts, they become very pleasant. sweet-sour taste similar to an apple.

The fruits of both types are used to make jam, jelly, jam, marmalade and other sweets, and are also used as an additive to drinks. The Japanese loquat has fermented juice, in which the alcohol content reaches four percent. If you overtake it, you get vodka. The fruits of the Caucasian medlar are used for pickling, they make vinegar.

The chemical composition and properties of the fruits of these two varieties differ, but not by much. They contain:

• sucrose;
• fructose;
• glucose;
• malic acid;
• Vitamin C.

Young unripe fruits contain tannins in large quantities. They are used in folk medicine as a remedy for diarrhea. The bark and leaves of both species have a similar medicinal property , and here ripe fruit on the contrary, it is used as a mild laxative. Leaves are used as a gargle for throat colds. A decoction of the leaves is able to stop the blood.

Japanese medlar is used as an ornamental plant and is often grown indoors.

reproduction

Reproduction occurs in various ways.

seed way

Seeds are soaked for one day before planting. If this is a southern region, then the seeds are sown directly into the ground, and in regions with a temperate climate, a seedling method is used.

Sowing seeds in the ground at the end of October- beginning of November. If the seedling method is used, then the seeds must be germinated in a well-lit room with a temperature of about +10 degrees in the ground mixed with humus, peat, soddy soil, sand and hardwood in equal proportions. Seeds begin to germinate only after a year.

Vegetative way

The Caucasian medlar is propagated by layering. Autumn is a favorable period for this. Reproduction occurs in the standard way, when the branches for layering are bent and attached to the ground, making an incision on the bark.

In order for the plant to take root well, the soil is moistened. Within 2 years, layering should take root., during this time they should form a well-developed root system and several shoots. Separate and transplant them only after the leaves fall.

Japanese loquat is propagated by cuttings. A cutting is taken from a branch of last year's growth with two developed nodes. The leaves are cut in half, which helps to reduce the evaporation of moisture, powdering the cuts with wood ash. This helps to avoid the formation of rot and protects against the penetration of pathogens.

When the cutting is rooted in a pot, the bottom is sprinkled with a thick layer of drainage. The stalk is planted to a depth of 4-5 centimeters strictly vertical. After that, it is abundantly moisturized.

Garden varieties of both species are propagated by grafting on quince, hawthorn and pear.

Landing and care

Growing medlar is easy, the most important thing is proper care only then can a good harvest be obtained. They plant it in spring or autumn on a site where it is necessary to destroy all weeds in advance. The soil is fed with bone meal and mineral fertilizers. A stake is driven into the ground, and a tree is subsequently tied to it.

A hole is dug large enough for the roots to freely enter. The soil is crushed and mulched with a layer of manure or compost. Under this cover, the soil remains moist and cool. Medlar needs water abundantly, but only with settled water. During the first two years after planting, it is necessary to cut off half the conductors of skeletal branches. In the next two years, pruning is done only a quarter of the length. mature tree may not be cut.

Medlar is an exotic fruit native to India and China. Namely, there the most suitable climate for this plant is humid subtropical. Thanks to useful features of this fruit, it began to be more intensively planted and imported to other countries. However, it must be clarified that the medlar is demanding on weather conditions and will not grow in rainy and cold regions - a warm and mild climate is necessary for its growth. Today, medlar can be found in Spain, Italy, Israel, Georgia and even the Crimea.

It is an evergreen small tree, although with good care it can grow quite tall. Often grows in mountainous areas. There are two types of this plant - German and Japanese. The Japanese medlar is somewhat similar to an apricot and its color is light orange. German medlar more rich color, closer to brown. The fleshy fruits are clustered. They can be different shapes- pear-shaped or round. The peel of the fruit is smooth and with overflows. The pulp of the fruit has a sweet and sour taste, a bit like a mixture of apples, cherries and apricots. Inside the fruit are several large dark-colored seeds.

The nutritional value of medlar and its effect on the human body

It should be clarified that medlar is found on the market less often than other fruits. If you still managed to buy it, this is a great success, because this fruit has a significant value for human health. This unusual fruit very rich in useful micro-, macroelements and vitamins. After the research, experts give a detailed composition of the fruit: dietary fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, B vitamins, folic acid, beta-carotene, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese and iron. Thanks to this content useful elements, medlar has a number of positive properties.

Useful properties of medlar

Medlar is a very versatile fruit, as it can be consumed both fresh and boiled. Often marshmallow, jam, jams, compotes, marmalade are prepared from it. I would like to note that even after cooking, this fruit does not lose all the useful elements and has a very positive effect on the human digestive system. However, in our country there are few housewives who make jam from this fruit, and there is an explanation for this - the cost of medlar is an order of magnitude higher than other fruits. In addition, the production of alcoholic beverages is possible, because this fruit is easily fermented. Even medlar seeds are suitable - they are ground, dried and used as coffee.

Medlar for beauty

It should be noted that this fruit is used in cosmetology practice, both domestic and industrial. Entire series of cosmetics are made on the basis of medlar - from tonic to moisturizer. And this is not surprising, because this product is multifaceted - it has anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, tonic properties. For example, the leaves of this plant will help problem skin - an extract from them relieves redness, removes itching, cleanses the pores and normalizes the functioning of the glands. But, the pulp of the fruit favorably affects the dry and sensitive skin. Also, the content of collagen fibers allows the use of medlar for the purpose of rejuvenation, because it has a firming effect on sagging skin.

In addition to recognition this fruit in cosmetology, nutritionists also began to recommend it to their patients. Due to its low calorie content, medlar can be easily introduced into the diet of people who want to lose weight. After all, apart from low content calories, it also removes all unnecessary substances from the human body at the same time, enriching it with useful elements.

Are there any contraindications for this fruit?

It turns out there is! This fruit should be used with extreme caution by people suffering from ulcers, gastritis, excessive acidity and other diseases of the pancreas. Since medlar is acidic, it can increase acid levels and provoke chronic diseases.

Despite the fact that this product is rich in vitamins, it is strongly not recommended to abruptly introduce it into the child's diet because of the risk of allergies. Therefore, you need to start giving one berry a day and gradually increase the dose.

Also, medlar seeds, in addition to benefits, can cause significant harm. After all, they contain mandelic acid and alkaloids, which, if taken regularly, can cause poisoning of the body.

Medlar grows in the territory South-East Asia and is quite widespread in the cuisine of Azerbaijan and Georgia. But in our country this product is little known. They began to import it to Russia only recently, so not everyone had time to try this fruit and feel its beneficial properties. And as it turned out, there are a lot of them.

Medlar - juicy, fragrant and very healthy

Description

Medlar is a fruit that is a close relative of pear, hawthorn and quince. Today it is a kind of exotic, although earlier - about a hundred years ago, this product was quite familiar to Europeans. Various desserts, preserves, jams were prepared from it, and, of course, they were consumed fresh.

In total, there are two main types of medlar. Let's consider their description in more detail.

Medlar

Medlar Germanic (Caucasian) is a small tree, the height of which is no more than 4 meters. Its fruit is round and brown in color. The flesh is quite tart with a sweet and sour taste.

On a note! The most delicious and usable fruits are harvested after the first frost! If the weather conditions are not favorable, the medlar is removed from the branches and placed in a strong saline solution. After a few weeks, the fruit pulp acquires a softer texture and a pleasant taste.

Why does this type of medlar have two different names - German and Caucasian? This is due to the fact that initially this variety was bred in southwest Europe and southeast Asia. Later, the ancient Romans brought it to Germany, where it will receive the widest distribution.

Germanic medlar prefers a mild climate. It grows well and bears fruit where the summers are warm and the winters are quite calm. In the wild, this plant is found on the territory of Georgia, South Ossetia, Armenia, as well as on the southern coast. Crimean peninsula and in the North Caucasus. This fruit is cultivated in the central regions of Ukraine, although such plantings are rare.

Japanese loquat

Japanese medlar is a taller tree that can reach a height of 7 meters. It has a dense wide crown, which during the flowering period is covered with white fragrant flowers. The fruits of this variety can have both rounded and oblong shapes with a diameter of 30 to 50 mm.

The flesh of the Japanese medlar is very juicy with a sweet and sour taste. Inside you can find a few small brown seeds. You can harvest from the branches already in late spring - early summer. This circumstance distinguishes this variety from the one described above - the German loquat is suitable for food only after the arrival of frost.

Japanese medlar does not tolerate transportation well and is stored for only a few days. For these reasons, these fruits are extremely rare on sale in our country.

Beneficial features

Medlar is unique fruit, which, due to its rich composition, is able to exhibit a lot of useful properties. And the main one is aimed at strengthening immunity and increasing life expectancy.

Medlar is natural remedy to normalize the work of the digestive system, which is why it is recommended for use with various diseases intestines. At the same time, unripe fruits have a fixing effect, thus eliminating diarrhea, while completely ripe pulp, on the contrary, works as an effective laxative.

Sweet and sour fruit contains a large amount of phytoncides, which helps to eliminate inflammatory processes in respiratory diseases. In order to alleviate the condition, you just need to knead the pulp of the fruit and combine it with a small portion of honey.

Medlar will be extremely useful when elevated level cholesterol. It will reduce its concentration to a safe level and at the same time remove other harmful compounds from the body, such as toxins, salts of heavy metals and radionuclides.

On a note! With prolonged use of this product, the pectins contained in the pulp will normalize metabolic processes, help the liver to normalize its work, which will certainly have a positive effect on general well-being and skin condition.

Small round fruits are characterized high content important vitamins - A and C, which makes their use highly desirable for hypertension and heart disease. Provitamin A, being a powerful antioxidant, will beneficial effect on the function of the whole of cardio-vascular system, will normalize blood pressure and improve blood clotting. Vitamin C stimulates immune system, will bring the body into tone and prevent premature aging.
In general, the beneficial properties of a fruit such as medlar will come in handy in the following situations:

• cancer prevention;
• prevention of heart attacks;
• stroke prevention;
• diabetes;
• to increase the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria;
• kidney dysfunction;
• high levels of toxins and other harmful components;
• blurred vision;
• deterioration of digestive processes;
• various intestinal disorders;
• fluctuations in blood pressure;
• colds;
• diseases of the respiratory system.

Plus, the rich vitamin and mineral composition makes the medlar very useful product for women during pregnancy and lactation. Biologically active substances will help strengthen the body of the expectant mother and help in the normal formation of the fetus.

Important! However, it is not worth abusing medlar during this period. It is better to start with small portions and follow the reaction - if there are no rashes and other manifestations of allergies, the fruit may well be in your diet!

Sweet and sour medlar has found its place in the field of cosmetology. Its juicy pulp is actively used in home cosmetics. Thanks to such products, you can eliminate fine wrinkles, make the skin more even and smooth, even out its tone and eliminate pigmentation.

How to grow medlar yourself?

You can also grow medlar at home. This plant is quite unpretentious and at the same time has the ability to partially self-pollinate, due to which the fruit ovaries will necessarily appear on the branches in one quantity or another.

Advice! More suitable for self-cultivation japanese loquat, the cultivation of German medlar is too troublesome!

Landing

Medlar is grown from a fresh bone, peeled from the pulp. Since the planting material is covered with a very dense shell, for better germination it is desirable to pre-treat it with sandpaper. After scarification, the seeds are placed in water. room temperature for a day. The floating bones are discarded, and the remaining ones at the bottom are left for planting.

It is recommended to plant seeds in separate pots. If you place several plants at once in one container, then later you will have to pick, which is rather painful for young shoots. In addition, the pot must have drainage holes that will ensure the outflow of excess moisture.

As a substrate, you can use any ready-made peat mixture. It is moistened and the seed is immersed to a depth of about 2 cm. After that, the pots must be covered with glass or a plastic bag.

Care

For 20-30 days after planting, the substrate must be aired daily and condensate removed from the inner walls of the mini-greenhouse. This will prevent the growth of mold. In addition, every day the top layer of soil should be sprayed with a spray bottle.

With proper care, young shoots should appear 20-30 days after planting. When the sprouts reach a height of 2 cm, the greenhouse is removed, and the pots are transferred to a shaded place. Otherwise, under direct sunlight, delicate greens may die. During the first week, it is important to observe a certain temperature regime– the thermometer should be at +18°C. After the seedlings get stronger, they are taken out to the balcony or terrace, where there will be enough fresh air for the further growth of the medlar. Watering is carried out at least three times a week.

During the first month, the plants develop quite quickly and reach 15 cm in height. If you have planted several seeds in one pot, now is the time to dive them into separate containers. If initially the pots were individual, then a transplant will be needed only after a year. Adult plants are transplanted even less often - about once every 3 years.

On a note! The medlar does not tolerate transplantation very well and often stops bearing fruit during this period!

The first flowering occurs approximately in the third year of life. This usually happens in late autumn or early winter.

Around mid-December, fruits begin to set in place of the flowers. The first fruits are small - no more than 9 cm in diameter. Full fruits can be expected only for 4-5 years.

Adult plants are recommended to be fed twice a year, introducing an infusion of organic fertilizers into the substrate in spring and autumn. As for watering, it is regulated depending on the season - often in summer, in winter a couple of times a week. At the same time, in cold weather, it is desirable to cover the soil with moss, which will prevent the evaporation of moisture.

pruning

Medlar, growing in the wild, is a densely leafy plant with a rounded crown. At the same time, it is quite high, sometimes up to 7-8 m. A culture grown at home rarely even reaches 2 meters in height.

Crown formation should be started at the initial stages of plant development - in the phase of formation of the 3rd leaf. At this stage, it is recommended to pinch the sprout. If you want to get a tree, then after six months pinch the side shoots.

In addition, throughout the entire period of growth and development from the plant, it is necessary to regularly remove old branches and shoots that do not grow correctly. Thanks to this technique, the medlar will bear fruit much better, and the quality of the crop will begin to improve markedly.

In general, this plant tolerates pruning quite easily and painlessly, which allows it to be used as a bonsai. And if you plant several seedlings in a long pot at once, then after a while, with proper care, you can get a rather unusual plant composition consisting of intertwined sprouts. However, if the medlar is cultivated as a fruit plant, then in this case the traditional form of a small tree with a rounded crown is preferable.

At home, such varieties of loquat feel best as:

• "Sailes";
• "Frost";
• "Premier";
• "Tanaka";
• "Champagne".

These fruit crops have excellent taste qualities and, compared to other varieties, they store better and tolerate transportation normally.