Japanese Medlar Or Medlar (lat. Eriobotrya Japonica) Stock Photo

a large evergreen shrub or small tree with a rounded crown, short trunk and woolly young branches. The height of the tree is between 5-10 m, but it is more often lower, around 3-4 m. The leaves are alternate, simple, 10-25 cm long, dark green, firm and leathery in texture, with a jagged edge, covered with a thick velvety yellow-brown coating. Young leaves are also covered with a hairy covering that later falls off.Japanese medlar has the rare characteristic that flowering occurs in autumn or early winter while the fruits ripen in late winter or early spring. The flowers are 2 cm in circumference, white with 5 petals, collected in inflorescences of 3 to 10 flowers. The flowers exude a sweet, intoxicating aroma that can be felt from a distance.Fruits that develop in clusters are oval, apple or pear-shaped, 3-5 cm long with smooth or hairy, yellow, orange or sometimes reddish skin. Juicy and aromatic flesh is white, yellow or orange, sweet, sweet-sour or sour depending on the variety. Each fruit contains from 1 to 10 seed embryos, usually 3-5. Different numbers of embryos mature into large brown seeds. The skin of the fruit, although thin, can be peeled by hand when the fruit is ripe. The fruit is sweetest when it is juicy and orange in color. The taste is like a combination of peach, lemon and mango aromas.Neshpola is originally from Southeast China. It was brought to Japan very early, where it has been cultivated for more than 1000 years. Today it is cultivated all over the world.