How to Grow Medlars in New Zealand
Updated September 2026
An old fashioned, self fertile tree whose fruit is eaten soft
The medlar is an heirloom fruit tree, related to the quince and the pear, that has been grown in European gardens for centuries. It is small and ornamental, with large white spring flowers and leaves that colour well in autumn. The brown, open ended fruit is rock hard when picked and is only eaten after it has been softened, or bletted, indoors. Then the flesh tastes something like spiced apple purée.
Medlars are easy trees. They are self fertile, disease resistant and need very little pruning.
Where Medlars Grow in New Zealand
Medlars can be planted in every region of New Zealand, from Northland to Otago, Southland and Central Otago. They need winter chill and suit cooler gardens best, so the Central North Island, Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Central Otago are all good medlar country. In Northland and Auckland choose an open, airy spot. The flowers open in late spring, after most frosts.
Plant bare root trees in winter, June to August. Choose your region below for local planting months.
Varieties to Look For
Nottingham
An old English variety with small fruit and the best flavour. Compact and reliable.
Large Russian
Large fruit on a vigorous tree, with a milder flavour than Nottingham.
Royal
A heavy cropping variety with medium sized fruit of good flavour.
Planting
Plant bare root trees in winter, June to August. Medlars like full sun, although they tolerate a little shade, and fertile, well drained soil with a pH of about 6 to 7.
- Allow about 4 metres of space. A medlar grows 3 to 5 metres tall and often wider, with a twisting, spreading habit.
- Medlars are usually grafted onto quince or hawthorn rootstock. Plant with the graft union above the soil.
- Stake young trees for their first year or two, low on the trunk.
- Water in and mulch, keeping mulch clear of the trunk.
Care and Pollination
Pollination. Medlars are self fertile, so a single tree fruits on its own. Bees visit the large, single white flowers in late spring.
Watering and feeding. Water young trees through dry summers. Spread compost around the tree in late winter.
Pruning. Prune in winter while the tree is dormant. In the first few years, shape it into an open framework of well spaced branches. After that, remove only dead, diseased, crossing and crowded wood. Fruit forms on the tips of short spurs, so avoid shortening every branch.
Suckers. Remove any shoots from the rootstock below the graft.
Pests and Diseases
- Birds: Occasionally peck the fruit, but hard medlars are less attractive to them than most fruit.
- Fireblight: A bacterial disease of apples, pears, quinces and their relatives, medlar included. Flowers and shoot tips blacken and wilt as if scorched, and the tips bend over like a shepherd's crook. Cut out affected wood well below the damage, and clean your secateurs between cuts.
- Leaf spot: Brown spots on leaves in wet seasons. Usually minor; clear up fallen leaves.
Harvest and Storage
Medlars are picked in late autumn, when the leaves are turning and the fruit comes away easily, and before hard frosts. Pick on a dry day. The fruit will still be hard and bitter.
To blet them, spread the fruit in a single layer, eye down, on a tray in a cool, airy place. Over two to three weeks the flesh turns brown and soft and the flavour sweetens. Eat them when soft by scooping the flesh from the skin, or cook them into medlar jelly. Bletted medlars do not keep, so use them within a few days.
Track Your Medlar Tree
Add medlars to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for pruning, harvest and bletting.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
What does bletting mean?
Bletting is letting medlar fruit soften after picking. Spread the hard fruit on a tray in a cool, airy place for two to three weeks until the flesh turns brown and soft. Only then is it sweet enough to eat.
Is a medlar tree self fertile?
Yes. A single medlar tree fruits on its own, and bees pollinate the flowers.
When do you pick medlars in New Zealand?
Pick medlars in late autumn, when the leaves are turning and the fruit comes away easily, and before hard frosts. The fruit will still be hard and needs bletting indoors.
Can I grow a medlar in Northland?
Yes. Medlars can be planted in every New Zealand region, including Northland, although they need winter chill and suit cooler gardens best.
See also: Medlars in the Plant Library
