Loquat Japanese taste. Medlar fruit - cultivation

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Thanks to various tricks of agronomists and high speed of delivery, today you can try the fruit from almost anywhere on the planet without visiting the country where the delicacy grows. Medlar, on the other hand, is a fairly close exotic, which is increasingly appearing in stores, and therefore is of interest to ordinary buyers.

Loquat fruits grow on trees up to 8 meters tall, depending on the variety. In total there are about 30 varieties of this fruit tree. All of them are quite branched with brown bark of different shades. The leaves of the medlar are teardrop-shaped and quite large in relation to the size of the fruit itself, the length of the leaves reaches 25 cm.

Healthy, overseas fruit

Rich in vitamins B, A, C, and other beneficial microelements! Very useful for the digestive system and liver. In this article we will tell you in detail what kind of fruit this is.

The plant is an evergreen tree (although there are also deciduous varieties); high temperature and humidity are required for fruit ripening, so it grows mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia. However, some varieties tolerate the European climate well: the first mention of the fruit concerned the German medlar, which was exported to the Roman Empire and Greece back in 400 BC.

The medlar fruits on tree branches look fleshy and juicy, but a lot of time passes before they are fully ripened. Harvesting takes place after the first frosts in mid-October - early November, after which the fruits are often left to rest for another month in order to ripen. During this time, excess moisture leaves, so the shell becomes wrinkled, but inside the fruit retains all the juices.

Depending on the variety, medlar fruits look different, but most often they are spherical fruits, slightly elongated or flattened. The color of the peel varies from light orange to red-brown. The fruits are quite small in diameter - no more than 5 cm, so they can be compared with apricots. In the center of the fruit there are 2-4 large glossy seeds. The taste of medlar is unique and evokes different associations: some fruits are similar to a pear, others are a mixture of apples and strawberries.

How to eat medlar?

There is nothing complicated here. You need to thoroughly wash the fruits in warm water, cut them in half and remove the pit. The pulp and peel are edible, very tasty and healthy.

Medlars are eaten raw, but in warm countries where these trees grow, housewives also make jam, compotes and fruit liqueurs from the fruit due to the abundance of fruits. In addition to fruit, the leaves are often used as a tanning material, and the seeds are ground into coarse flour, from which an analogue of coffee is brewed.

Types of medlar

Despite the large number of medlar varieties, today you can find mainly 2-3 varieties on sale, which are grown in different parts of the world. Depending on the climate, medlar fruits of the same variety may vary slightly in color and size, but the taste remains the same. Often trees growing in a more favorable climate bear fruit much earlier.

German medlar

German medlar is a rather short tree that looks more like a shrub. In addition, thorns form on some shoots, which only adds to the similarity. Its height is only 3 meters, the leaves are very elongated and slightly pointed at the end. The flowers, as well as the subsequent fruits, are very scattered throughout the tree, just like on an ordinary apple tree. During the flowering period (late spring - early summer) you can see large white flowers. The tree grows in warm regions with a temperate climate: Europe, Crimea, Transcaucasia. The plant can be called frost-resistant, since it calmly survives the winter at temperatures not lower than 20 degrees.

The fruits of the German medlar are quite dark: red-brown in color. They are spherical with a beveled side, which is covered by brown petals. Mature fruits reach only 3cm in diameter. The first fruits ripen in October and are collected after snowfall. Also, medlar gardens become a favorite place for bees, so in mid-summer you can harvest a honey harvest with the taste of an exotic fruit.

Japanese medlar

Despite the fact that the variety is called Japanese, its homeland is China. It came to Japan as an ornamental plant and was only cultivated after some time. Some varieties of medlar are still used only for decorative purposes. The fruits appear, but they are too small and bitter, so they are not edible. The tree grows mainly in China and Japan. Compared to the German variety, this one is more cultivated and grows in better conditions, so the trees reach 8 m in height, and the fruits are about 5 cm in diameter. The leaves of the Japanese medlar are wider, and the veins are clearly visible.

A significant difference is not only the lighter shade of the fruits, but also their shape. German medlar resembles a mixture of date and apple, and Japanese medlar resembles kiwi. The fruits grow in clusters; even during the flowering period, about 90 cream and yellowish flowers bloom on one cluster. Japanese medlar ripens in the spring and blooms in December, but after harvesting it ripens indoors for about a month.

Caucasian medlar

Many people confuse this variety with the German variety due to the fact that the Caucasus is the growing area for both varieties, and the Caucasian medlar is less popular. The Caucasian variety resembles the Japanese medlar in color, but the shape of the fruit is more elongated, reminiscent of a pear. During the flowering period, many red dots can be seen on the white flowers; this is a distinctive sign of the Caucasian variety. In height, it is somewhere between the short German and tall Japanese. The texture of the ripened fruit is more viscous, reminiscent of dough. In addition, this variety of exotic fruit tree bears the sweetest fruits.

Beneficial features

Medlar fruits are a low-calorie product, therefore they are indispensable in the fight against excess weight. Based on it, many diets are prepared that guarantee quick and painless weight loss. However, this is not the only beneficial property of the fruit. Small exotic fruits are a lot like apples, and as you know: “He who eats an apple a day never goes to the doctor.” This can also be attributed to medlar.

The composition of the fruit includes:

B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9);
Vitamin A, good for the eyes;
Vitamin C, necessary to fight viral diseases and colds;
Natural sugar in the form of fructose and sucrose, which give sweetness to the fruit;
The acids are mainly citric and malic;
Minerals such as potassium and magnesium are necessary to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, iron to improve blood circulation, calcium and phosphorus to form strong bones and tooth enamel.

Medlar has antioxidant properties, thanks to which you can notice the positive effect of consuming the fruit on the condition of the liver, and due to the fact that the fruit consists of more than 80% water, it gently removes water-soluble fats without harming the kidneys.

Some scientists have concluded that tea from the leaves of the tree cleanses the body so well that it can even stop the development and spread of cancer cells, as it flushes out the toxins responsible for their growth from the body. However, research related to this issue has not yet been completed. The positive effect of the antioxidant will be noticeable when applied externally in the form of masks and moisturizers. Medlar gently cleanses the skin and also brightens it. For hair, the fruit is also suitable as an additive to shampoos and conditioners; based on this fruit, you can prepare effective masks against hair loss.

Medlar is good for the stomach, as it normalizes its functioning. Loquat fruits are often indicated for the treatment of diarrhea, vomiting and other immediate problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

The fruits and leaves of medlar are used to combat colds, as well as some respiratory diseases. To do this, either a syrup is prepared from the fruit, or the dried leaves are brewed with other medicinal herbs and honey. Thus, it is possible to cure a sore throat, as well as minimize the number of asthma attacks.

How to choose?

When choosing a loquat, you need to pay attention to its color and size, but because different varieties show different characteristics, you need to make sure that the seller provides the correct variety name. The Japanese medlar will be the largest, but even in this case it is necessary to choose medium-sized fruits, since small ones indicate immaturity or too high a concentration of acids, so the taste will be quite different from the ripened one.

The medlar peel should be smooth, without visible damage, and no soft, rotten areas should be visible to the touch. The shell should be elastic and monochromatic. Although in the countries where medlar grows, loquats sometimes lie for up to a month until fully ripened, during even the most careful transportation the fruits lie too close to each other and constantly collide, which leads to their rapid spoilage, so the exotic fruit is stored for only 2-3 days at home under room temperature. Try to choose fruits from a seller who stacks and displays them not too tightly together. Fruits do not tolerate this attitude well.

It is also worth remembering the high cost of an exotic fruit, because the price also includes transportation costs, so a kilogram of good medlar will cost about the same amount as approximately 10-12 kilograms of apples. Before eating, medlar should be peeled, as the peel is too thick and bitter. The seeds should be removed from the pulp without any problems.

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Medlar is an exotic fruit native to India and China. Namely, there the most suitable climate for this plant is humid subtropical. Due to the beneficial characteristics of this fruit, they began to grow it more intensively and import it to other countries. However, it must be clarified that medlar is demanding on weather conditions and will not grow in rainy and cold regions - its growth requires a warm and mild climate. Today, medlar can be found in Spain, Italy, Israel, Georgia and even 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. Japanese medlar is somewhat similar to apricot and its color is light orange. German medlar is a richer color, closer to brown. The fleshy fruits are collected in a racemose manner. They can be of different shapes - pear-shaped or round. The skin of the fruit is smooth and iridescent. The pulp of the fruit has a sweet and sour taste, slightly reminiscent of a mixture of apple, cherry and apricot. Inside the fruit there are several large dark-colored seeds.

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 manage to buy it, it’s a huge success, because this fruit has significant value for human health. This unusual fruit is very rich in useful micro-, macroelements and vitamins. After the research, experts provide 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 of useful elements, medlar has a number of positive properties.

Useful properties of medlar

Loquat is a very versatile fruit, as it can be eaten either fresh or cooked. Often marshmallows, preserves, jams, compotes, and marmalade are prepared from it. I would like to note that even after cooking, this fruit does not lose all its beneficial elements and has a very beneficial 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, it is possible to produce alcoholic drinks, because this fruit is easily fermentable. Even medlar seeds are suitable - they are ground, dried and used as coffee.

Loquat for beauty

It should be noted that this fruit is used in cosmetology practice, both home and industrial. Entire series of cosmetics are made based on medlar - from tonic to moisturizer. And this is not surprising, because this product is multifaceted - it has anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, toning properties. For example, the leaves of this plant will help problematic skin - the extract from them relieves redness, relieves itching, cleanses pores and normalizes the functioning of the glands. But the pulp of the fruit has a beneficial effect on 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 the recognition of this fruit in cosmetology, nutritionists also began to recommend it to their patients. Due to its low calorie content, medlar can be easily included in the diet of people who want to lose weight. Indeed, in addition to the low calorie content, it also removes all unnecessary substances from the human body at the same time as enriching it with useful elements.

Are there any contraindications for this fruit?

It turns out there is! This fruit should be consumed with extreme caution by people suffering from ulcers, gastritis, excessive acidity and other pancreatic diseases. Since loquat is acidic, it can increase acidity levels and cause chronic diseases.

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

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

Question: “What is medlar?” interests many people, because Not everyone knows what this Caucasian fruit is and “what it is eaten with.” But medlar has many unique properties and advantages that make it a truly valuable find for every person. Due to its rich composition of vitamins and microelements, the culture is used as an excellent traditional medicine. In addition, it can be called a good treat that can decorate the table when receiving guests.

Let's look at the main features of such an amazing representative of the flora, talk about the use of medlar for practical purposes, as well as the features of growing it at home.

Medlar - what is it?

The plant appeared in the countries of the Middle East, and Iran is considered to be its homeland. The fruit appeared on the territory of the Russian Federation only in the 19th century, where the domestic variety was bred - Caucasian medlar. According to its biological characteristics, medlar is a close relative of quince, hawthorn and pear. An adult tree grows up to 7-8 meters in height, has characteristic thorns on the branches and trunk, as well as rather large leaves. Flowering begins in April, when the plant is covered with tiny white inflorescences.

Medlar fruits are the so-called “drupes” that appear near the leaves after flowering. They have a spherical shape and grow up to two to three centimeters. The taste properties are represented by special sourness and sweetness. Sometimes there are tart notes, due to which the fruit is often compared to apricot, apple, strawberry and passion fruit. Asking the question, “What does loquat look like?” - many people hear in response - to an apricot. Such fruits are not suitable for export, because... The shelf life is very short.

Currently cultivated around 30 plant varieties, among which:

Japanese;
Caucasian;

Representatives of the latter variety are widespread in the southern regions of Ukraine and Russia. It is not customary to grow the crop in other regions of the country, which is explained by unfavorable climatic conditions, due to which the plant simply does not have time to fully ripen, and the growing season lasts a very long time.

The bulk of cultivated plants are found on the Black Sea coast, so do not be surprised if you hear the opinion that medlar is a Crimean or Caucasian culture.

The main advantages of medlar

Medlar fruits are very popular due to their very rich composition, which contains:

phytoncides;
B vitamins, vitamin A and C;
tannins;
mineral elements including calcium, potassium, zinc, copper and iodine;

Availability rare potassium and vitamin A helps improve the functioning of the nervous system and also has a beneficial effect on muscle contraction. In addition, the abundance of vitamin A is a real boon for people suffering from problems with vision or perception. Regular consumption of medlar leads to stabilization of the growth and development of the body, strengthens cell membranes and gets rid of dangerous toxins.

The medlar fruit is considered dietary product, which can be consumed by diabetics. There are about 47 calories per 100 grams of fruit, which is very little.

Other valuable properties of fruits

The plant is characterized by numerous beneficial properties and substances. Let's highlight the most famous:

Science has proven that medlar has 1,500 times more valuable properties for the eyes than carrots.

In addition, the fruit has found its application in cosmetology. For example, before going to the beach, many girls eat a plate of grated fruit, after which the tan will be especially beautiful and even. Due to such a rich composition and unique properties, medlar is used for a variety of purposes and directions, considering it an incredibly valuable gift of nature for humanity.

Cosmetological purpose of the fruit

The orange product is considered an excellent remedy for traditional medicine and the cosmetology industry. Many creams and organic cosmetics contain some medlar substances, which help improve the condition of the skin, restore elasticity and natural color.

Leaf extracts are also added to the creams, which are excellent in combating teenage rashes or other skin diseases. There is one highly effective folk recipe to solve acne, acne and other troubles. It is as follows:

Take 30 milliliters of nectar, mix it with a teaspoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of cream and a small amount of flour. The finished mixture is applied to pre-moistened skin with light massaging movements. Then cover the mask with a paper napkin and leave for a quarter of an hour, after which it is washed off with lukewarm or cool water;

Cook very useful face tonic you can do it yourself. It is enough to get a glass of medlar juice and mix it with a small amount of vodka. It is enough to wipe your face with the resulting composition before applying any cosmetic product. However, this solution may be contraindicated for people with highly sensitive skin due to the presence of alcohol. The composition should be stored in the refrigerator.

Medlar - for fitness

The yellow fruit is also used as an excellent weight loss products. This Caucasian plant promotes faster and more productive cleansing of the body from all kinds of toxins, salt and other unnecessary substances.

In addition to cleaning work, medlar will be an excellent immunostimulant, which will replenish the supply of missing minerals and have a positive effect on the functioning of the intestines or stomach. The fruit will be useful on fasting days, because... It contains fiber and has very low calorie levels.

True, one cannot get carried away with such a practice. The optimal interval of fasting days is once a week, with a maximum allowable volume of 1 kilogram per day.

Whatever one may say, even such a healthy fruit has its contraindications for use as a food product. Before you start eating fruit, you need to make sure that your body will react normally to it.

Contraindications to the use of medlar.

Caucasian fruit will be contraindicated for those people who suffer from:

gastritis with high acidity;
stomach and intestinal ulcers;
pancreatic diseases;
for all kinds of cholecystitis;

In most cases, such contraindications are typical only for unripe fruits with high acidity. An adult, ripe fruit is unlikely to cause any harm, because... the number of beneficial properties is hundreds of times greater than the harmful ones. If you are fond of the sweet yellow product, but cannot eat it due to individual intolerance to some substances or contraindications, try using it as jam, compote and dried fruits.

The main thing is to be careful and observe moderation in everything. As already mentioned, there is an acceptable limit for consuming medlar, which is 1 kilogram of fruit per day. Do not exceed it, otherwise negative consequences cannot be avoided.

Use in folk medicine

Tinctures based on medlar excellently fight bronchial asthma and chronic forms of gastritis. There are a number of highly effective recipes that allow you to create a truly valuable medical product. For example, many people prepare the following tincture:

The peeled fruits are placed in a blender and crushed until smooth. Then they are thoroughly mixed with honey and previously removed seeds. Next, rice vodka is added to the composition and it is again thoroughly mixed with a blender. The next step is to transfer the tincture into a glass jar in a dark, cool room for storage for one week. All that remains is to strain the resulting mixture through a fine colander.

The resulting product is excellent fights cough and removes phlegm from the body. To taste, it resembles almonds combined with apple and apricot. It is not recommended to use the drug for children, due to the high alcohol content.

In addition, both leaves and seeds of medlar are used in folk medicine. Based on them, excellent decoctions are created that will become an indispensable aid in the fight against sore throat or sharp pain in the throat.

A few leaves should be poured with a small amount of boiling water and the broth should be allowed to cool. You need to gargle at the first sign of a sore throat.

Bones can only be consumed in revised form, because they contain slightly toxic substances. The dried product helps improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Alcohol tinctures fight bronchial asthma, heart disease and other pain. If you notice significant problems with the stomach or intestines, the seeds should be boiled for 20 minutes, left to cool and used before meals in a volume of half a glass.

When to start collecting yellow fruit and how to store it

The collection of very valuable leaves is carried out throughout the summer. Fruit harvesting begins in late autumn, when the characteristic acidity in the taste is replaced by increased sweetness and softness. If you don't pick the fruit before winter, you can leave it on the tree until spring. By the way, in warm regions they easily endure winter and remain fresh until March.

When harvesting fruits, you should give preference to medium-sized specimens without dark spots. The fruit is characterized by a short shelf life and rapid ripening. Storage in the refrigerator should be carried out in such a way that so that the fruits do not touch each other, otherwise they will start to deteriorate. By the way, the product can be stored in the room, however, the maximum shelf life will be no more than three days.

How to eat medlar

All nutrients and valuable microelements enter the human body only with proper use of medlar. For example, the fruit retains its benefits when used fresh, after first removing the seeds. The best tasting properties are found in those fruits that have hung on the tree for a long time, have a bright color and a clean surface, without stains or other defects. As for small fruits, they are, in most cases, very sour and overripe.

Peeling of the medlar peel can be done as desired. Some people like to eat fruit in its natural form, like an apple. It all depends on personal preference. In any case, the fruit is really very useful and necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Few people know about such a fruit as medlar. Despite the fact that the orange fruit is not very popular among ordinary people, this fruit has a history and a lot of useful properties. You will learn about this in our article, as well as the varieties of medlar and how medlar is useful.

Prehistory of medlar (shesek)

Plants are mainly grown closer to the east. The eastern climate is indeed the most favorable for them. Therefore, in countries such as Moldova, Romania, the center of Russia, it is very rare to find this amazing fruit. By the way, people often wonder whether this is a berry or a fruit, but this is definitely a fruit.

The native country of growth of shesek is Asia and Iran. And the fruit reached Russia only closer to the 19th century. But it took root only in the south of Russia. The fruit can also be found on the Black Sea coast.

Although this fruit is a fairly close relative of the quince, pear and hawthorn, its taste cannot be compared with any of these fruits and berries. The fruits grow in trees with trunks 8-9 meters long (it also depends on the variety). The leaves are large and smooth, and the flowers are white, with 5-6 petals each. Flowering begins in autumn, and in early April small fruits begin to ripen. The medlar season ends in June–July (very dependent on climate and variety).

In total, 30 varieties of medlar are known, but the most popular, tasty and healthiest are only 3 varieties (German, Japanese and Caucasian). German ones, however, are more in demand, since German medlar is exported to 9 countries at once (northern Iran, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Transcaucasia, the Balkans, Asia Minor, Armenia and the Crimean Mountains).

What do medlar fruits taste like? or sheseka (Japanese) resemble very ripe and fleshy cherries. But the fruit itself is usually 2-3 times larger than a cherry, and is also a very juicy product and quite sweet. Inside the fruit there are slightly rounded almond-shaped bones, brown in color. Usually there are more than two of them in one fruit.

I would also like to note that not only people, but also bats love to eat this product. For them, these trees are a very favorable habitat. They can sleep right on this tree, and when they wake up, they can immediately start eating. This is why people do not like to plant trees close to home, since all kinds of birds and insects immediately begin to flock to the ripe fruits.

Useful and medicinal properties of shesek

Medlar beneficial features:

Thanks everyone useful properties sheseka in medicine, they decided to use it also in cosmetology. Even in ancient times, women were given various masks for their face and body skin. You can also find a huge number of folk recipes on the Internet, and all of them really have a beneficial effect not only on women’s skin, but also on men’s. Later, medlar began to be added to creams and tonics.

And it was concluded that it can cleanse not only our body, but also the skin. Medlar will relieve you of oily and unnecessary shine on your face, prevent any teenage and hormonal changes or rashes on the face or skin. Also, orange fruit and its properties will relieve you of blackheads and acne, add radiance, elasticity, healthy color and shine to your face.

For the most popular loquat recipe on the Internet, you will need:

Sheseka nectar
Olive oil (can be purchased at any cosmetic store)
Cream

So, approximately 30 ml of medlar nectar should be mixed with a teaspoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of flour and the same amount of cream. Mix all this thoroughly until smooth. Then apply to clean and damp facial skin with massaging movements, avoiding the skin around the eyes. Leave the mask for 20-25 minutes and cover with a paper napkin without pressing too hard. Rinse off with slightly warm water, without soap or other detergents.

Loquat tonic

You can also prepare it at home yourself and at no extra cost. To do this, simply mix fresh sheseka juice, rich in medicinal properties, with a small amount of vodka or alcohol. If you choose alcohol, you should pour it less than vodka. Wipe your face with this product every time before applying any cream or gel to your face. Use toner no more than 3-4 times a week. If you have sensitive skin, then use toner less often due to the alcohol content.

Are loquat fruits harmful?

Doctors unanimously say that medlar does not have any significant consequences. It is unlikely that a fruit with such a content of useful substances and properties can cause any harm to our body. But there are some contraindications:

Gastritis
Stomach or intestinal ulcer
Any forms of cholecystitis
Pancreatic diseases

All these contraindications refer only to the unripe fruit of the loquat fruit. Because it contains quite a lot of acid. And, nevertheless, you can eat compotes, preserves or jams from medlar and will even be very healthy. So if you go to the east, be sure to eat plenty of medlar, but only ripe ones. After all, you shouldn’t miss this chance to saturate your body with a mountain of useful substances.

What delicious things can you make from medlar?

When it became clear that a fruit like medlar brings so many benefits, and eating it just became boring, the most original ones began to come up with various ways of preparing and adding medlar to dishes. And at the moment, medlar jam is in demand.

A simple way to make medlar jam:

For jam you only need 3 ingredients:

Medlar – 1 kilogram
Water – 250-300 ml
Sugar 300-500 grams

So, peel the fruit from the top peel, break it into halves, removing the seeds. Next, place sugar and water in a saucepan on the stove over low heat. Stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring this syrup to a boil and continue cooking for another five minutes. Throw the cut medlar into the finished syrup. Cook over high heat for 15 minutes, then return to low heat and cook until tender, remembering to stir constantly.

While the jam is cooking, sterilize the jars. To do this, boil a kettle, and when hot steam comes out of the neck of the kettle, place a jar under it. Hold the jar in this position for about a minute, and proceed to the next jar. Pour jam into sterilized jars. Then screw the jars tightly and tightly. Your jam is ready!

Loquat belongs to the Rosaceae family, and its homeland is Southeast Asia, where this plant is very popular due to its juicy fruits and leaves that have healing properties. There are several varieties of medlar, which today is successfully grown in the southern regions of Russia. The most valuable of them is considered to be a Japanese variety called loquat, which is a low-growing evergreen shrub, the fruits of which are eaten raw and are also used to prepare all kinds of desserts.

Medlar (Turkish muşmula) is a whole genus of plants, including almost 30 species. However, there are two main cultivated types of loquat: German and Japanese. The German medlar has been known to mankind for more than 1000 BC. In the territories of Ancient Babylon and Mesopotamia, it was freely traded, and it was transported on ships to the west to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was from here that medlar came to European lands. Today, German medlar grows in the Balkans, Asia Minor, the Crimean Mountains, Transcaucasia, Armenia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Greece and northern Iran. The tree is quite finicky and grows well only in dry, sunny places and slightly acidic soil.

The German medlar has a round shape, slightly flattened along the axis with unfolded sepals at the end. The fruit is small in size (2-3 cm in diameter), red-brown in color. The unripe fruit is quite hard and sour. Medlar ripens only after the first autumn frosts or after lying around for a month. At the same time, the fruits lose moisture and become wrinkled, but at the same time soft and sweet.

The homeland of Japanese medlar is the subtropical territories of China. It was from here that the plant came to Japan, and then in the 19th century. was brought to Europe. Medlar is cultivated in Georgia, India, USA, Ukraine, Southeast and South Asia and in the Himalayas. This species is closest to quince, pear and hawthorn. The plant begins to bloom in the fall and the fruits ripen in the spring between May and June. They are pear-shaped with a diameter of up to 10 cm. The color of the peel is orange-brown, the flesh is juicy and sweet and sour in taste. Inside each Japanese medlar there are large dark brown seeds from 1 to 5 pieces.

What are the benefits of medlar?

The benefits of medlar are so great that it is hard not to notice. The fruit is widely used in cooking, cosmetology, and medicine.

But it is especially valued for its healing power. It is used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases, unless there are certain contraindications.

Are you really worried about your health? Then loquat should become an integral part of your diet for the following reasons.

Normalizes the digestive process. The benefits of the plant in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases are simply incredible. The fruit cleanses and strengthens the body, improves food digestibility. In addition, when ripe it is an excellent laxative, and unripe fruits cope well with diarrhea.
Medlar is an indispensable assistant for kidney diseases. It effectively relieves attacks of colic, alleviates urolithiasis, and also reduces the risk of kidney stones by removing uric acid salts from the body.
Tea made from the leaves of the plant strengthens the liver, and the seeds are a preventative against fibrosis.
The benefits of loose leaf tea have been proven in the treatment of cancer. This drink helps eliminate toxins that provoke the development of malignant tumors. The fruit is used for preventive purposes against cancer of the intestine, lungs, oral cavity, as well as leukemia.
Medlar, like carrots, is used for eye diseases. Thanks to the large amount of vitamin A, the fruits of the plant help improve vision and reduce the risk of cataracts and lens clouding.
The plant has a healing effect for diseases of the cardiovascular system.
The fruit is useful for overweight people. It reduces appetite and eliminates the desire to eat something sweet.
Loquat is an effective hemostatic agent.
Asthma and bronchitis will go away faster with the help of an alcohol tincture of the plant.
Loquat is considered an excellent cosmetic product in the fight against wrinkles, cellulite, capillary networks, and rashes.

Medicinal uses of loquat

A decoction of medlar leaves (1 tablespoon per 1 glass of water) is considered a good hemostatic agent.

Loquat helps with gastrointestinal diseases. Since ancient times, medlar has been used as a remedy that improves digestion and strengthens the intestines.

The fruits, especially unripe ones, and seeds are used in the form of decoctions for inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases and bloody diarrhea.

A decoction of medlar leaves is also a good antidiarrheal remedy.

If you have a cold, gargle with a decoction or infusion of medlar leaves (at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 glass of water).

Alcohol tincture of medlar is used to treat patients suffering from asthma or bronchitis.

Mix 5 mashed fruits (with crushed seeds), 2 tablespoons of honey and 100 g of sake (Japanese 28-proof rice vodka), leave for several days and filter. Take 100 g before meals 3 times a day. This remedy clears mucus from the lungs and makes breathing easier. The same tincture, if slightly warmed and drunk slowly through a straw, relieves an irritating cough. And if you also slowly drink 200-250 g of this tincture on an empty stomach, you can get rid of heart pain.

Use in cosmetology

The extraordinary medlar fruit has many beneficial properties, which is why it is successfully used in home and industrial cosmetology. Creams based on medlar extracts help increase the elasticity and firmness of the skin by strengthening collagen fibers in it. Extracts from medlar leaves fight skin rashes, tone, and give the skin freshness. Loquat creams are used for sensitive skin.

Here are some recipes for home cooking:

Tonic - to prepare it, fruit nectar (250 g) is mixed with vodka (100 ml) and this mixture is wiped on the face before applying the cream. The mixture is stored in the refrigerator.
Mask with medlar, cream and camellia oil. 30 ml of medlar nectar is mixed with a teaspoon of camellia oil, 1 tbsp. l. cream and soy flour. The mixture is applied to damp skin, covered with a napkin and fixed for 15-20 minutes. After the procedure, the remnants of the miracle remedy are washed off with slightly warm water.

The effect of using such products will not be long in coming!

Culinary use

The easiest way is to peel the fruits and enjoy their spicy, sweet taste raw. For gourmets, there are also many original recipes with medlar that are worth trying: custards, fruit salads, preserves, jams, jellies, marmalades and compotes.

Loquat chutney is popular in Asia, as is locally produced loquat wine. The leaves do not go unnoticed: tea brewed with them is popular in Japanese cuisine.

Leaf tea

Take the dried leaves, cover them with water, bring to a boil and boil for another 10 minutes. You can add spices such as basil, ginger, turmeric, etc. Let the tea cool and then strain it. Loquat tea has a mild, pleasant taste.

It may be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including diabetes and respiratory infections.

Homemade jam

Take about two cups of the seedless pulp. If you want, you can puree it. Heat 2 cups of water in a separate bowl. When the water boils, add fruit pulp and 1 cup of sugar. Stir until smooth and leave to simmer until the jam gels.

Add some cinnamon or cardamom. The finished jam can be rolled into sterilized jars and stored all winter.

Chutney sauce

Cut the apricot and lokva into small slices, add cumin seeds, ginger and garlic. Salt to taste, add a little sugar and lemon juice for piquancy.

Growing from seed and seedling

The main difference between medlar and other subtropical fruit crops is the possibility of propagation not only vegetatively, but also by seeds. To obtain seed material, you should select only the most ripe and large fruits that were able to be grown in our climatic conditions. Inside the fruit there are about three seeds, which, under conditions of proper planting and care, show a good level of germination. Seedlings that can be grown in this way are guaranteed to retain all the properties inherent in the mother plant.

As a rule, under standard growing conditions, seeds are kept for 24 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. With proper care, it is possible to grow this plant from seeds indoors, as well as in winter gardens and open ground. When the growth of medlar is not limited, the tree can reach a height of one and a half meters. Caring for the plant is quite simple. When the tree reaches a sufficient height, pruning and crown formation should be performed. Depending on which growing method is chosen, a fairly compact plant can be formed.

Growing medlar from seed is a fairly lengthy process. Regardless of which fruit is used to extract the seed, it should be dried. At the next stage, the pit is scarified, which can be rubbed with sandpaper and then soaked in a solution of high-quality humus.

Rules of care

Growing medlar is a simple process, but a consistently high fruit yield can be obtained with proper care. As a rule, it is necessary to plant medlar in spring or autumn, in an area previously cleared of weeds. Bone meal should be added to the planting hole, as well as complex mineral fertilizers.

The grown seedlings are tied to a wooden peg, which is installed in the planting hole along with the young plant. The soil around the seedling should be well compacted, and light soil should be mulched with compost or rotted manure. Under the mulch layer, the soil remains moist and cool.

Caring for the plant is quite simple:

An adult tree is replanted once every three or four years;
medlar is responsive to abundant irrigation with settled water;
preventive procedures to protect plants from sooty fungal infections;
annual change of the top layer of soil around the plant.

In addition, care includes fertilizing with high-quality complex fertilizers, which have a beneficial effect on the growth, development, and abundant fruiting of this amazing fruit tree.

Contraindications to the use of medlar

Despite the benefits of medlar, you should not eat its fruits, especially unripe ones, for those who:

peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum;
inflammatory processes in the pancreas;
gastritis with high acidity.

Be careful when introducing medlar into the diet of children. It can cause an allergic reaction, so you should start eating only 1-2 pieces a day.

If you decide to use the beneficial properties of medlar in home cosmetology, then remember that these procedures also have contraindications: open wounds, inflammatory diseases, rosacea and eczema. And in the cold season, after applying the mask, you should not immediately go outside.