Mespilus germanica or hawthorn, to improve their performance in different soils. "Mespilus germanica" fruits are hard and acidic, but become edible after being softened, 'bletted', by frost, or naturally in storage given sufficient time. Once softening begins, the skin rapidly takes on a wrinkled texture and turns dark brown, and the inside reduces to the consistency and flavour reminiscent of apple sauce. This process can confuse those new to medlars, as a softened fruit looks as if it has spoiled. Once bletted, the fruit can be eaten raw and is often eaten as a dessert, or used to make medlar jelly. They
Dysoxylum pettigrewianum prominent protrusions on the trunk buttresses, it may reach in excess of 35 metres (100 ft) tall, with a spreading canopy up to 15 m (50 ft). The warty bark is dark brown, and the red/brown timber has a pleasant fragrance. The compound leaves have between 7 and 15 overlapping leaflets. The tree can be deciduous in winter dry spells. Appearing in January, the small yellow flowers are bell-shaped and have a diameter of around 1.2 cm (0.5 in). These are followed by the pear-shaped fruit which contain four seeds and ripen in November. The orange/brown warty fruits are eaten