Medlar was one of the first fruit trees I bought. Why? You don't need a pollinator. It grows easily in temperate areas without pests or diseases. It was inexpensive and didn't take up much space. It produces lots of fruit every year in November and December, months in which I tend to get less fruit than others. Also, you usually can't even get medlar unless you grow it, and as it is less aggressively bred than most grocery store fruit, it likely retains more nutrition.

A few years ago, I started to realize that I had more fruit than I or my family could eat. What to do? I froze some. When I went to eat them, I found that I could, but I didn't really like them anymore. This year I tried something else. I put them in cold storage in my garage, keeping them cool. I just go and get a few and put them on my counter. They have stayed delicious and juicy much longer and I have been able to stretch out my harvest period much longer.

John S
PDX OR