Home loquat: Types, Growing, Care (45 Photos) + Reviews

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Vladimir 03/19/2020

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Medlar

Many lovers of gardening and floriculture know such an ornamental plant as the home medlar. This is a tropical crop, it is not suitable for the climate of mid-latitudes, but it is quite possible to grow an exotic plant from a seed in a pot on a balcony or loggia. What species exist, how to propagate and properly care for seedlings, what properties the fruits have - all the information about the plant is collected in the material.

What is medlar

An evergreen plant in the form of a tree or shrub from the Rosaceae family, a fairly close relative of the apple tree (subfamily Appleaceae). The homeland of medlar is considered to be Southeast Asia - India, China, Japan. In these countries it grows on mountain slopes in the form of dense thickets.

Cup tree - a tree typical of tropical latitudes

It also grows well on the Black Sea coast - in the subtropical regions of the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Crimea, as well as in the USA, Italy, Australia, and Israel. In each locality and culture, the plant acquired its own name. So, medlar is also called ezgil, cup or chishkovo tree, shesek, eriobothria or Japanese winter flower.

Interesting. In China, the plant was called “pipa” due to its similarity with the 4-stringed lute-type musical instrument of the same name, and in the Caucasus and Crimea it is called shishkovnik.

Japanese medlar or loquat, which is an ornamental low fruit-bearing tree, is usually grown as a house plant. This unpretentious house plant is often found in offices, schools, and social facilities.

Varieties of culture

Mespilus germanica or German medlar is one of three plant species that have the right to be called medlar. This is the species that is most often grown.

Photo of German medlar

The German variety of Medlar (Mespilus germanica) is also called “Crimean” or “Caucasian”. It is not difficult to guess that etymologically the names are associated with natural habitats. Crimean medlar is actively cultivated off the southern coast of the peninsula. And in its homeland it is very popular, although in nearby regions or storage conditions few people eat it and grow it as a garden plant. Caucasian medlar is intended for temperate climates and its winter hardiness is also quite high.

Photo of Japanese medlar

Loquat (eriobotrya, shesek) or Japanese medlar (Eriobotrya japonica) is not actually one, although it represents the Rosaceae family. However, many use varieties called Champagne, Morozko, Silas and Tanaka in our latitudes, calling them Medlar due to their resistance to frost.

It is quite easy to grow this exotic tree or bush with healthy fruits and an attractive appearance in your garden or on your window, which any designer will appreciate. Like other plants not typical for the region, it has its own requirements, but it will respond to your care with beautiful and fragrant flowering, a lush crown and healthy fruits.

What does the plant and its fruits look like?

Under natural conditions, the cheeshkova tree can reach 8 meters, but when propagated it is rarely possible to grow a specimen higher than 150–200 cm. The crown is rounded, turning into a tent-shaped crown with age. The twisted trunk is covered with brown, rough bark; in the natural environment there are thorns; ornamental plants do not have this rudiment.

Japanese lokva resembles apricot in appearance and taste.

The leaves are oval or oblong, large (20 cm long and 7–8 cm wide), leathery, rich green in color. They have a short stalk or are sessile. The foliage is glossy on top and velvety on the back. The shoots are fluffy.

The flowers of both sexes can be white or creamy-yellow in color and have a pronounced aroma, vaguely reminiscent of the smell of almonds. The flower size is small - up to 2 cm in diameter. In one panicle-shaped inflorescence, similar to a bird cherry, there are up to 80 flowers. Eriobothrya blooms from November to December, and the fruiting period occurs in May–June.

Interesting. Cup tree flowers are used in perfumery to create citrus scents. Some of the most popular perfumes with notes of loquat include Missoni Colori Arancio, Lili Bermuda Calypso and Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers Sunlight Kiss.

The ovary is formed by self-pollination and cross-pollination. The tree produces its main harvest between the ages of 6–7 and 40 years.

The fruits are round or pear-shaped, the size of a five-kopeck coin, bright orange, depending on the variety, they look like apples or apricots, with several (usually three) large seeds inside. The pulp resembles an apricot in appearance, slightly sour, with a pear and cherry flavor. Inside the fruit there are from 1 to 8 large brownish seeds.

Selection rules

You can eat ripe berries with pleasure; unripe ones will be sour. The fruits ripen on the branches; it is not advisable to collect them in advance.

You need to understand how the best fruits are selected based on ripeness. They should be a little soft and not have major mechanical damage. The peel should be intact, without rot.

You should not buy unripe ones, they are sour, they can be used in various dishes. You can recognize immaturity by a greenish tint and excess hardness.

The overripe ones are too soft, they are already turning sour inside, and you can smell the fermentation.

Types of garden medlar

Not all types of eriobothrya are popular among breeders

There are about 30 species of Eriobothria in the world, but the three most popular among indoor plant breeders are:

Japanese
Germanic
grayish (Sterna)

Japanese loqua

Japanese medlar or loquat (Chinese, Maltese plum) - grows naturally in China and Japan. It is quite problematic to grow in open ground conditions due to the high demands of the plant on temperature conditions and the frequency of watering. Withstands temperatures down to -20 degrees, then the above-ground part dies.

Japanese loquat does not take root well in open ground, but grows and bears fruit well in moderately hot climates.

Every year, up to 30 thousand loquat fruits are harvested in Japan. Syrups and wine have been made from fruits in this country for 1 thousand years.

A characteristic feature of the species is larger, wrinkled leaves. The main flowering occurs from September to March. Fruiting occurs in June and, as a rule, is abundant - up to 8 large orange fruits in a bunch. Loqua fruits taste like a mixture of pear, cherry and strawberry with noticeable sourness.

Germanic eriobothrya

German or ordinary ezgil is considered an ornamental plant and grows no higher than 3 meters. The variety got its name because the Greeks brought medlar from Asia to German lands. This is an unpretentious and frost-resistant tree.

The fruits of Germanic Eriobothrya are hard, tough and resemble quince or apples of paradise in appearance.

In May, white single flowers appear, then turn pink and begin to exude a persistent aroma that attracts pollinating insects. The leaves are bright green, changing color to burgundy in the fall. The species bears fruit in November. For comfortable growth of Eriobotria germanica, a warm winter and cool summer are needed.

This type of ezgil is also called Abkhazian or Crimean medlar according to its place of growth - Crimea, the Caucasus, the Balkan Peninsula, Iran, and the countries of Asia Minor.

The fruits are hard, brownish, and unlike other varieties, their appearance and taste are more reminiscent of a combination of apple and quince. The taste of ripe fruit is not very pleasant, but after storing in the freezer or refrigerator for 3-4 months, the taste improves noticeably.

Grayish variety of cup tree

Flowers of Eriobothria sterna

Stern's loquat or grayish (discovered in 1990) is a large deciduous shrub, but can also take the form of a small tree.

The flowers are snow-white and appear in late spring. The fruits resemble leathery reddish apples measuring 3 cm.

Places of growth

Habitats along the coast of the Mediterranean, Black Seas, Japan, China and other warm Asian countries. The Japanese lokva loves a mild, humid climate, the Caucasian one is more resistant to frost.

The Germanic plant was cultivated by the ancient Babylonians and the peoples of Transcaucasia. Today you can observe it in Western Europe, in Crimea, and in the western parts of Ukraine. It sheds its leaves and thorns grow on its branches. The fruits ripen in late spring.

The Japanese are bred not only by the Chinese and Japanese. Its difference from the Caucasian one is that the large orange-brown fruits are fleshy, juicy and have a thick skin.

Flowering begins in late autumn, and the fruits also ripen in the spring.

It is also used for landscape design; initially, when it appeared in Europe, it was used specifically for landscaping. The healing properties of medlar leaves, which are rich in tannins, are also known.

Growing seedlings in open ground

German Eriobothrya is suitable for planting in open ground, as it is a more frost-resistant, tenacious and unpretentious species. A significantly grown plant with a height of 30 cm or more should be planted. The location on the site must be chosen carefully - the survival rate of eriobothrya depends on this.

Choosing the right place to plant a tree is the key to a bountiful harvest of eriobothrya

It is better to choose slightly acidic or alkaline soil, where groundwater does not approach the surface closer than 1.5 meters. A bush will do well in a well-lit corner. When planting, you should take into account the comfort zone of 1.5 by 1.5 meters and do not plant other ornamental and fruit-bearing plants nearby.

Choosing the right place to plant a tree is the key to a bountiful harvest of eriobothrya

The decorative properties of eriobothrya are highly valued in landscape design. Using a tree, you can frame a garden path or zoning an area.

To properly plant winter flowers, you need to follow simple rules:

Dig a hole 1/3 larger than the volume of the seedling's earthen ball.
Pour sand drainage into the bottom, then add complex fertilizers and a handful of bone meal.
Place the seedling in the hole.
Fill with a mixture of regular soil, peat, humus and sand, and water generously.
Dig a support for the tree nearby.
Flatten the soil under the trunk and mulch with compost or humus.

Seeds that have undergone the stratification process can also be planted in open ground, but in this case the first shoots will not appear earlier than in a few years.

How to use Medlar in the garden

As a single exotic or in a small group, the Loquat plant can be used as a focal point in an area.

Its foliage is a beautiful green color that turns red in the fall. The crown can be molded, and lovers of natural beauty will appreciate its chic appearance without trimming. The straight trunk and lush crown allow you to use a row of sprouts as an alley near the paths on the site. A group of crops will protect from drafts from the north side and prying eyes.

This plant is planted near the veranda or recreation areas due to the fragrant aroma of the buds.

Plant propagation

Cuttings are a good way to preserve the varietal properties of a plant

There are several main ways to reproduce eriobothrya:

1 Seed or using a seed. Under normal conditions, seeds germinate within 3 years. By accelerating the stratification process, it is possible to achieve seedling pipping within a few months. A plant grown in this way will be decorative and, most likely, will not bear fruit.

2 Cuttings. To do this, take the top or cut a branch of the plant at an angle of 45 degrees into pieces 12 cm long with 2-3 buds on each. The lower leaves are removed, and the cut site is treated with crushed charcoal to prevent rotting. The cuttings are planted in open ground or a pot and greenhouse conditions are created, maintaining high temperature and humidity. If all conditions are met, the branches will take root in 30–35 days. It is recommended to darken the cuttings, which will promote root formation.

3 Air layering. The method is used to accelerate the fruiting of eriobothrya. A ring of bark is removed from the tree trunk and a plastic bottle with soil is attached to the cut site so that the cut site touches the ground. The soil is regularly watered, and after the cutting takes root in the bottle, it is cut off from the trunk and planted like a regular cutting.

For rooting cuttings and layering, it is best to use a soil mixture of sand and peat in equal proportions, and carry out the procedure itself in August–September.

It will be possible to preserve the properties of a certain variety of cup tree only if cuttings are taken and layering is formed. In case of seed propagation there is no such guarantee. If you need to get cuttings for budding, you can grow a cheeshkovo tree on the rootstock of common quince, pear, hawthorn or rowan.

Growing from cuttings

Both species reproduce well from cuttings that have good viability. This cultivation option is carried out as follows:

take several branches of last year's growth, 20 cm long, with two developed nodes;
cut leaves in half to reduce evaporation;
powder the cuttings with ash;
Plant one at a time in pots with a thick layer of drainage. Take soil from peat and sand in equal proportions, spray and water as the soil dries.

You can make a dome for the plant from a transparent material for more comfortable conditions and add “kornevin” to the water for irrigation for faster rooting. With proper care, the cuttings should take root within a month. The growth will not be noticeable for a long period of time, because the cutting will be at the stage of forming the root system. After a year, the plant can begin to grow strongly, since the root system is already fully strengthened. With proper care, a tree will gradually grow, which will delight you with beautiful flowers and juicy fruits.

How to grow exotic from seed

To propagate medlar (it is better to take the Japanese variety) in an apartment, they use seeds extracted from ripe fruits. They need to be planted in the ground immediately, because over time they lose half their ability to germinate. If it is not possible to place the grain in the ground, then it can be stored in a wet rag for 2–3 months before planting at a temperature of 4–5 degrees.

The first shoots of eriobothrya appear 30 days after planting the scarified seed

To increase the chances of seed germination, it is recommended to break the integrity of its shell by rubbing it with sandpaper or a file from different sides. Then the nucleolus is filled with clean water at a temperature of 20–25 degrees for exactly one day. If the seed floats up, it is thrown away - it is hollow inside and will not give life to a new plant. The seed can also be pickled in a solution of potassium permanganate.

Each kernel must be planted in a separate pot with a top diameter of 8 cm - ezgil does not like transplants. For planting, a mixture of high-moor peat with mineral additives and microelements, usual for seedlings, is used. It is very important that the pot has adequate drainage to allow excess moisture to drain away.

The depth of immersion of the seed into pre-moistened soil is small - only 2 cm. Then the container is covered with plastic film or glass to create a greenhouse effect. If condensation appears, the homemade dome is removed and the soil is ventilated to avoid mold.

The crops need to be watered once every two days, and the top layer should be sprayed daily from a spray bottle with pre-softened water at room temperature.

What to cook from medlar

German medlar - already fermented and ripe - with soft pulp is well suited for preparing various dishes. It can be mixed with cottage cheese or natural yogurt and served with cheese. Since murshmula is rich in pectin, it can be used to make jelly or jam. Another popular cooking method is “loquat cheese.” Mix the medlar pulp with cheese, butter, add a little sugar and a heated but not boiled egg to bind the mass. If you use raw eggs in your food, raw eggs will work even better. And don’t forget to add a little salt to this “cheese” and shape the mass like a wheel of real cheese.

Caring for a plant indoors

Despite the fact that the plant is considered exotic, caring for it cannot be called very difficult, and the medlar itself is too capricious. It is important to follow the basic rules of agricultural technology, and the plant will delight the owner with a beautiful exterior and, over time, a good harvest.

Priming

Winterflower is unpretentious to soil quality, but will grow better in a neutral environment

The cup tree is unpretentious in choosing soil for growth; both loamy and sandy loam soil is suitable for it. But eriobothria feels best in neutral soil, which you can prepare yourself using available ingredients:

plant humus mixed with soil
sand
leaf soil (compost from fallen leaves)
sod land

The basis of such soil is turf and leaf soil (the former needs to be taken twice as much as the latter), sand provides a drainage effect, and compost serves as a natural fertilizer.

Lighting

The south-eastern window sill is ideal for placing a pot of eriobothria

The plant is light-loving, so it is better to choose a south or south-east window sill to grow it at home. Under direct rays of the sun, the formation of flower buds of the cheeshkova tree occurs better.

Before the flowering period and during it, flower growers recommend increasing the daylight hours for medlars to 12 hours, illuminating it with a fluorescent lamp. One adult individual will need two additional light sources. Additional illumination can be stopped at the end of January.

Temperature

Indoor winterflower responds well to air baths; in summer it can be taken out to the balcony

The tropical ornamental tree loves a moderately warm climate and therefore is optimally kept at a temperature of 18–20 degrees. During the hot summer period, decorative medlar should be taken out onto the balcony or into the garden. Air baths promote the growth of seedlings, so you can also ventilate the room more often.

As soon as the night temperature drops to 7-8 degrees, the pot needs to be brought back into the house. Although an adult plant can withstand sub-zero temperatures, sudden temperature changes should not be allowed; the tree may die.

Watering

There is no need to water the chinese tree in winter, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out completely.

The watering schedule for an adult plant depends on the season: in winter - twice a week, in summer - more often, depending on the rate of moisture evaporation. It is recommended to cover the soil surface with a layer of moss to prevent rapid drying.

It is best to water with settled, clean water slightly warmer than the room temperature. It is not recommended to spray the plant due to the pubescence of the crown. To remove dust from the foliage, you can wash the tree in the shower once a month.

If ezgil overwinters on the balcony, then watering should be stopped completely until the ambient temperature increases. From time to time, a pot of Japanese winterflower should be placed on a mat with moss, expanded clay or small pebbles.

Top dressing

Regular fertilizers for ornamental plants are suitable for feeding the cone plant.

The cup tree responds well to fertilizing, which is best done in the off-season: in spring or autumn with an infusion of organic fertilizers. One of the acceptable feeding options is an infusion of cow manure in a ratio of 1 to 10 with water. The decorative properties of eriobothrya can be improved by adding a little crushed dried plaster to the soil.

During the flowering period, phosphorus fertilizers should be used, and potassium fertilizing should be postponed during active growth.

Young plants are fertilized once a month, adults – three times during one season. In winter and at rest, Eriobothrya is not fed. Once a week, the top layer of soil is loosened, providing oxygen access to the roots.

Flowering and dormancy

The cup tree blooms in late autumn and winter, hence the name - winter flower

Medlar usually blooms at 3–4 years of age in late autumn or winter , when other ornamental and fruit plants have already bloomed and bear fruit. During the cold season, the plant does not need to be watered or fertilized; dormancy for winter flowers during this period is the basis for future abundant flowering and harvest.

Fruiting

Medlar fruits usually have 2-3 seeds

The chishkova tree produces its first fruits already at 4–5 years of age, with the peak occurring at 10–15 years. If the first fruiting is too abundant, it is better to remove some of the fruits, then the fruits will be larger and the load on the tree will be reduced.

The Abkhaz writer and poet Fazil Iskander, in the story “House in the Lane,” described the period of fruiting of the cup tree as follows: “At the beginning of summer, medlar lanterns began to light up with yellow lights, then they turned orange and did not change for a long time after that...”

Trimming

The cup tree only needs sanitary pruning

The cup tree does not require mandatory pruning, but if such a procedure is carried out, the yield of the exotic tree will increase. Cut branches are used for cuttings.

The plant perceives all manipulations with the crown painlessly, which is successfully used in landscape design. At home, the traditional spherical shape of the deciduous part looks best.

In the first years of the plant's life, experts advise cutting off half the length of the branches of the seedlings.

The branches are pruned immediately after the end of fruiting so that the plant has time to lay buds for a new harvest. Sanitary removal of dry and damaged sprouts occurs regardless of the season and period of medlar development.

Transfer

Young plants need to be replanted once a year

Ezgil tolerates replanting quite hard and stops bearing fruit during this period, however, for young plants this procedure must be carried out annually. For adult plants, the growing medium and pot should be changed less often - once every 3 years, but the top layer of soil should be updated regularly.

When replanting, we must not forget about creating a high-quality drainage layer from small stones: expanded clay or gravel; the use of sand is allowed.

Transplantation is carried out by transshipment, so as not to damage the delicate roots, into a container slightly larger than the previous one. The Japanese winterflower will best tolerate the “relocation” after the end of the fruiting period.

Crown formation

To form a shrub from a plant, you need to pinch off the shoot after the third bud

The owner of the ezgil needs to decide on the shape of the crown at the stage of formation of 3 leaves. If the preferred option is a bush, then the sprout needs to be pinched. When choosing the shape of the tree, at the age of 7 months, the lateral shoots begin to be removed.

At home, plants rarely grow higher than 1.5-2 m, so in any case there should be no problems with care and harvesting.

Recipes with loquat

Loquat jelly from pastry chef David Lebovitz from California, USA

To prepare approximately 2 liter jars of jelly you need:

1.5 kg of ripe German medlar
1 large green sweet and sour apple
half a lemon + a little for taste
2 liters of drinking water
600 g sugar

Cut the whole medlar into 4 pieces without peeling. Cut the apple, also without peeling, into 6-8 pieces. Cut the lemon into 2 parts lengthwise. Place all prepared ingredients in a saucepan with a thick bottom and add water. It should completely cover the contents and the ingredients should float in it.
Bring the contents of the pan to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer at low simmer for 40-45 minutes.
Line a colander with several layers of gauze. Place a colander in a deep bowl and pour the contents of the pan. Cover the colander with gauze and leave for 6-8 hours. There is no need to crush the sweet mass, otherwise the jelly will be cloudy.
Pour the liquid into a large saucepan. It should be about 1 liter. Place a small saucer in the freezer.
Add sugar to the pan and cook over low heat until the mixture becomes jelly-like. The temperature of the jelly will be approximately 104-105 °C. To check the readiness of the jelly, scoop the mixture with a tablespoon. Place a spoon on a plate in the freezer and leave for 2-4 minutes. Take out a spoon and press your finger into the jelly. If it wrinkles, it means it's ready. If not, continue cooking the jelly until it becomes jelly-like.
When the jelly is ready, you can offset the sweetness with a few drops of lemon juice if you wish. The jelly is ready. Remove from heat and pour into clean jars. This jelly can be stored in the refrigerator for exactly 3-4 months.

Loquat Pie

To prepare a pie for 6 servings you need:

100 g whole grain flour
100g all-purpose flour (general purpose)
100 g softened butter
120 ml cold water
500 g whole medlar
40-50 g honey or 70 g cut into pieces honeycomb with honey
zest and juice of 1 juicy orange
40 ml cream 22% fat
1 egg
½ tsp. apple pie spices
salt on the tip of a knife

Mix flour in a bowl. Add softened butter and mix with flour with a fork until fine crumbs form.
Add ice water and stir. Form into a ball. If the mixture is dry, add a few more drops of water. Cover the dough with a towel and leave for 15 minutes. at room temperature.
Roll out the dough into a round layer, 4-5 mm thick. Place in a heat-resistant round mold 2-3 cm smaller than the diameter of the layer. Form the sides. Line the dough with baking paper, pour in beans or peas (a layer of at least 2 cm). Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 15-20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and remove weights and paper.
Peel the medlar, remove the seeds, and chop coarsely. Mix with honey, juice and orange zest. Add cream and egg, beaten until smooth with spices and salt. Stir.
Place the filling in the prepared dough “basket”. Level and bake for 45-55 minutes. Serve the pie hot or cold.

Diseases and pests

Drying of leaves is one of the common problems when growing winter flowers.

Under natural conditions, medlar can only be affected by plant diseases such as rhizoctonia and dry top. The cultivated cup tree is resistant to various kinds of diseases and pests, but for prevention, the plant in the open ground can be treated with broad-spectrum preparations twice a year.

The most effective insecticides: Fitoverm (20 ml per 10 l of water), Insegar (5 g per 10 l of water) and Lepidotsid (30 g per 10 l of water). Natural remedies can be treated with infusions of tansy, wormwood and nettle.

The most common problems that gardeners encounter when breeding eriobothrya, and methods for eliminating them, are presented in the table.

Problem	Solution
Drying of leaves at the bottom of the crown	Daily spraying, fertilizing with complex fertilizer, covering the trunk and top of the soil with polyethylene
Root rotting	Reducing the intensity or stopping heavy watering, treating with a fungicidal preparation
Spots on leaves	Reduce watering, spray with fungicides containing copper
The plant does not bloom or bear fruit	The winter dormancy period has been disrupted - you need to stop watering and fertilizing
Flowering is very weak	Increase the illumination of the plant, prune in a timely manner

At home, the main pest for the plant is earthworms, which make passages in the ground and form voids. To get rid of them, you need to place the container with eriobothria in water for several minutes.

The scale insect, which appears when the plant is poorly cared for, can provoke the spread of a fungal infection. You need to fight it by wiping the leaves of the bush with tobacco infusion and treating it with insecticides.

If eriobothrya is attacked by aphids or spider mites, then the leaves and stems need to be wiped with special solutions every 2-3 days until the symptoms disappear:

Dissolve 30 g of crushed laundry soap in 1 liter of water, infuse and filter.
Add 5 drops of rosemary essential oil to 1 liter of clean, settled water.
A pharmaceutical alcohol tincture of calendula is added to the water for wiping the foliage.

Storage rules

To enjoy the unforgettable taste, you need to visit the places where it grows during the harvest season (April - June). It is poorly stored and cannot be transported.

Can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days. Since they don’t store much of it, it’s not profitable to buy in reserve; everything will rot.

Popular varieties

Different varieties of chinese trees have different organoleptic properties

The varietal diversity of medlar is very rich. Depending on the variety, Japanese or German, the fruits can be divided into two types: large pear-shaped ones with soft juicy pulp and small hard, apple-like fruits with noticeable sourness.

The most popular varieties of cup tree are presented in the table.

Variety name	Properties
Champagne	The fruits are fluffy, yellow with creamy pulp with a slight sour taste
Tanaka	The fruits are orange, pear-shaped, weighing up to 70 g, with a delicate taste and aromatic pulp
Premier	Cream-colored yellowish-orange fruits with slightly sour flesh
Commune	Small round fruits weighing up to 30 g, slightly flattened, bright yellow in color
Sales	Rich orange fruits, large, similar to apricot both in appearance and taste
Morozko	Frost-resistant plant with a low level of trunk fragility, the fruits are large, aromatic, bright brown with a high content of nutrients

Among the varieties loved by gardeners are also: Monreale (Italy), Thales, Tams Pride (Australia), Advance, Uze-fangzhong (China), Early Red (USA).

In Russia, the following varieties are recommended for cultivation: Sochi, Khvamli, Karadagskaya, Goytkhskaya.

Fruits of any variety tolerate transportation well and are stored for a long time, and the fruits of German eriobothria even need to be frozen to improve their taste.

Rules of use

You need to know how to eat the fruit to fully experience the excellent taste. They eat it fresh, prepare salads, stew it with sugar, use it in desserts using gelatin, and add it to sauces.

The skin comes off well, but is often not peeled off. It is thin, chews well, and contains many nutrients. Recommendation: Doctors advise adults to eat no more than 4 pieces per day.

Chemical composition of ezgil fruits

Winterflower fruits are a storehouse of nutrients

Medlar fruits are consumed both raw and processed. 100 g of medlar fruit contains 47 kcal. They are low in protein (0.43 g) and fat (0.2 g), but high in carbohydrates (10 g).

These aromatic fruits contain 10% sugars and 7% malic acid, citric acid, vitamins A, C, almost all B nutrients, folic acid, iron, manganese, potassium, sodium, selenium, zinc, calcium, aromatic and tannin substances, phytoncides.

Useful properties of medlar

In ancient times, the Medlar fruit was considered to give strength and youth. The fruits were and remain especially useful for pregnant women and the elderly, as well as those suffering from inflammatory diseases during intestinal bleeding. Constipation, bleeding and inflammation were treated with decoctions of the leaves, and asthma and bronchitis with tinctures of the fruit.

Nowadays, in moderate quantities, it is also actively used by nutritionists and is recommended for use by doctors due to the presence of:

gland;
potassium-calcium compounds;
phosphorus-iodine particles;
magnesium;
zinc;
Selena;
sodium;
fructose-sucrose;
citric and malic organoacids;
vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9;
pectins;
tannins;
phytoncides.

The fruit helps relieve gastrointestinal problems. For diabetics, people with kidney dysfunction, anyone who has a desire to cleanse the body of toxins, as well as get rid of intestinal problems and strengthen the immune system, the plant will be a real godsend. It actively affects the digestive tract, normalizes blood pressure, helps preserve vision and even prevent a runny nose.

Since ancient times, rejuvenating and nourishing face masks have been made from the pulp of the fruit. Jam is also made from the fruits.

The benefits and harms of eating an exotic fruit

Chishkova tree seeds contain toxic substances in their raw form.

In addition to their pleasant taste, winterflower fruits have healing properties. In folk medicine, fruits are used to treat:

diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
dysfunctions in the endocrine system
urolithiasis
asthma
bronchitis
renal colic and kidney disease
diabetes mellitus

A decoction of the fruit has an antitumor, antioxidant, hemostatic and anti-cold effect on the human body, and removes mucus from internal organs and cavities. Loquat is also used as a fixative for indigestion, to strengthen the heart muscle and blood vessels.

Japanese winterflower flowers are used to treat anxiety, depression and even alcohol addiction. The effectiveness of using loquat leaves to treat candidiasis and suppress the human immunodeficiency virus has not been fully confirmed.

The use of medlar is contraindicated for people diagnosed with:

pancreatitis
gastritis
stomach ulcer
duodenal ulcer
individual intolerance to the product

Caution should be exercised when giving the fruit to small children, as well as to pregnant and lactating women. Loquat seeds and leaves contain cyanide glycosides in small quantities, during the decomposition of which the poison cyanide is synthesized. This gives Eriobothrya seeds a bitter taste. Symptoms of poisoning with alkaloids from loqua seeds: shortness of breath, vomiting, dizziness.

The strong aroma of Japanese winterflower flowers can provoke headaches, so people prone to migraines should avoid growing the evergreen shrub.

Benefit

A rich set of vitamins and microelements determine its beneficial properties. In the places where it grows, it has long been understood that this berry has anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and hemostatic qualities.

Benefits of the product:

stimulates the immune system;
prevent the appearance of early wrinkles;
relieves lingering cough;
reduces the likelihood of developing cancer;
facilitates the course of diabetes mellitus;
improves the functioning of the liver and pancreas;
makes breathing easier;
helps cleanse the lungs and bronchi;
has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive system;
helps restore healthy intestinal microflora;
improves kidney function;
promotes weight loss;
enhances bile synthesis;
normalizes blood cholesterol levels;
prevents the development of osteoporosis;
prevents the formation of blood clots in blood vessels;
stabilizes blood pressure;
strengthens blood vessels.

The beneficial qualities do not disappear after heat treatment, so jam and canned products are used for medicinal purposes.

For pregnant women, juicy berries are required for the proper intrauterine development of the baby. Nutrients are involved in the formation of bone tissue, nervous system structures, and blood vessels.

Vitamins are well absorbed and help the expectant mother cope with toxicosis and weather sensitivity.

In cosmetology, juice is used to make masks and add to creams. This helps to lighten the epidermis, tighten it, fight inflammation and acne. Such procedures have calming, rejuvenating qualities.

Uses of cup tree fruits

Medlar is widely used in cooking in many nations of the world.

In cosmetology, medlar is often used as a component of anti-aging masks, as well as tonics and serums. The minerals and trace elements that make up eriobothria promote the synthesis of natural collagen and elastin in skin cells to increase elasticity and turgor.

In dietetics, the fruits of eriobothrya are used as a low-calorie product to reduce body weight. Their use reduces appetite and reduces cravings for high-calorie and sweet foods. Loquat pulp contains fiber, which can prolong the feeling of fullness.

Loquat, canned in syrup, is one of the most significant exports from Taiwan.

The bark, leaves and unripe fruits of Eriobothrya contain a lot of tannins, which is used in the leather industry for tanning; the wood is often used for decorative and applied arts. Cup tree flowers are a good honey plant.

The fruits of the Japanese medlar variety, as well as other tropical fruits, are used to make preserves, jams, compotes, desserts, and candy fillings. Winterflower seeds are used in many countries as a coffee substitute due to their similar taste.

Eriobothrya is an ornamental evergreen plant with a pleasant aroma and tasty fruits - an excellent choice for growing at home. The advantageous exterior, as well as the agrotechnical characteristics of the shrub, make it one of the desired specimens in the collections of amateur flower growers. Moreover, with moderate effort and compliance with simple conditions, anyone can easily grow a beautiful exotic plant in their apartment from a seed.

Contraindications

Any product combines benefits and harm, so you need to be careful. Children may develop allergies, so if they are prone to it, it is better to avoid using it. Doctors allow children over three years old to eat exotic foods.

Contraindications include inflammation of the pancreas, gastritis with high acidity, stomach or duodenal ulcers. People with such pathologies should not drink wine, juice, or eat unripe medlar fruits.

But jam and preserves made from it have a positive effect on the sick body and are recommended during the recovery period after operations.

Medlar - description and characteristics

Medlar photo

This crop is an evergreen fruit tree whose bark has a dark gray tint. Under favorable growing conditions, this crop can grow up to 800 centimeters, but most often this tree grows only up to 600 centimeters. The leaves of this fruit tree are dark green in color and elliptical in shape; on average, they grow to 13 centimeters in length and up to 350 millimeters in width. In autumn, the leaves of this crop have the ability to change their shade to scarlet. Towards the end of spring and beginning of summer, the flowering period of the tree occurs. The flowers of this plant, when in bloom, consist of five petals and have a pure white hue, and they are also endowed with an aroma that is very good at attracting pollinating insects. The fruits of this crop can have a diameter of up to three centimeters when ripe, as well as a pear-shaped or round shape and a scarlet-brown hue. The fruit appears hollow in appearance, as its sepals are unfolded. The fruits of garden forms of this plant can have a size similar to a medium-sized apple. The fruits have a sour taste and are hard to the touch, even when fully ripe, but if they are stored or frozen for a long enough time, they eventually become wrinkled, soft, smaller in size and acquire a sweeter taste.

Role in landscape design

A species such as the German medlar is endowed with a rather spreading and abundantly lush crown, but landscape designers are most attracted to it because of its red-brown foliage. Most often, this crop is planted in groups of 2-3, and to the north of other plants, because in adulthood these trees provide excellent protection from strong winds in winter. In this case, you should not worry about the plant itself, since an adult tree has a fairly high level of resistance to cold and frost. Sometimes this plant is grown as a central point in a small garden plot. This is because the crown of such a tree has a spectacular and chic appearance even without the presence of leaves on it, and in the spring, flat-shaped, beautiful and fragrant flowers with a pale pink or snow-white hue bloom on this crown. Plus, medlar repeats its flowering period, approximately at the end of the summer season and the beginning of autumn. In autumn, the leaves are endowed with the ability to change their shade to red-brown or red-yellow. And the fruits of this tree contribute to the decorative appearance of this plant. Medlar is able to maintain its decorative characteristics throughout the entire season, which is why it is recommended to plant it along garden paths, in a row; as a result, you can end up with a whole park alley of trees with even trunks and closed crowns.

Possible problems

Indoor medlar quite easily adapts to unusual growth conditions. But if the grower makes gross mistakes in care or the microclimate in the room is completely unsuitable for the plant, then problems such as:

Rot appeared on the roots . This is due to very abundant watering and stagnation of liquid in the substrate, especially if the room is cold.
Curling and wilting of leaf blades . The bush is affected by a bacterial burn. The development of the disease is promoted by cold air, stagnation of moisture in the roots and an excessively large amount of nitrogen in the substrate.
Slow growth . Associated with poor lighting or lack of nutrients.
Pests . Scale insects, aphids and sooty fungus can settle on the plant.

Features of care

You need to know how to plant and grow this exotic plant correctly. This requires a lot of light. It is placed in direct sunlight. Varieties that bloom in winter receive additional lighting. Without it, the ovary will not appear.

In summer, the pots are taken out into the fresh air. It is not recommended to create drafts. The best temperature is from +18 to +25 oC. In winter it can drop to +2..+6 oC.

At home, the crown is often pruned in the form of a bonsai or a lush bush. To do this, remove excess branches and pinch the crown. It is best to carry out such actions after harvesting.

You can grow this amazing tree yourself without much effort. Judging by the positive reviews, it is unpretentious, takes root well, and is suitable for landscape design and apartment decoration. If you try, you will get a beautiful medlar (photo above).