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
Pome Pome In botany, a pome (derived from Latin "pōmum", meaning "fruit") is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. The word "pome" entered English in the late 14th century, and referred to an apple or an apple-shaped object. It derived from the Old French word "pome" "apple" (12th century; modern French is "pomme"), which in turn derived from the Late Latin or Vulgar Latin word "poma" "apple", originally the plural of Latin "pomum" "fruit", later "apple". A pome is an accessory fruit composed of one or more carpels surrounded by accessory