Search results
Binomial name. Mespilus germanica. L. Mespilus germanica, known as the medlar or common medlar, is a large shrub or small tree in the rose family Rosaceae. The fruit of this tree, also called medlar, has been cultivated since Roman times, is usually available in winter and eaten when bletted. [2]
Mar 25, 2021 · The polite, socially acceptable name by which it's currently known is the medlar. But for the best part of 900 years, the fruit was called the "open-arse" – thought to be a reference to the ...
2 days ago · The medlar (Mespilus) belongs to the Rosaceae family. The common medlar (Mespilus germanica) is from southwest Asia and the northern coast of Turkey. My husband comes from this area and remembers having medlar trees in his garden as a child; they were called Musmula (the ‘s’ should have a cedilla). Stern's medlar (Mespilus canescens) was ...
Apr 22, 2023 · Medlars, though, were manna from heaven for writers seeking a memorable turn of phrase. Thomas Dekker, in The Honest Whore (1604), wrote that ‘women are like medlars, no sooner ripe than rotten’ while for Samuel Johnson one man’s ‘wit is like a medlar; it is never ripe until it is rotten’.
- Martin Fone
Aside from their health benefits, the French thought medlar trees had magical powers which could protect their homes from witchcraft and sorcery. They nick-named the fruit ‘ cul de chien’ , which describes the back end of a dog and alludes to the fruit’s unusual appearance.
Medlar [1] (n.) A tree of the genus Mespilus (M. Germanica); also, the fruit of the tree. The fruit is something like a small apple, but has a bony endocarp. When first gathered the flesh is hard and austere, and it is not eaten until it has begun to decay.
People also ask
What does medlar stand for?
What does medlar mean in Romeo & Juliet?
What is a medlar tree?
What was a medlar called in medieval Europe?
Where did medlar come from?
What is Medlar used for?
Sep 26, 2019 · In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare refers to medlar as “open arse.” Indeed, the French common name for medlar is cul de chien, which translates to “dog’s backside.” Medlar’s popularity revived in England during the Victorian era, when affluent households used it to create jellies and liquors for Christmas time.
