Medlar (Lokva) Sesek or Eriobotria is an evergreen subtropical fruit plant belonging to the family Rosaceae, the subfamily Apple. It was introduced to the Russian Federation in the 19th century; in nature it grows on mountain slopes. Distribution zone - Southeast Asia, Himalayas, Mediterranean, Caucasus, Crimea, China, Japan, Europe. Its spherical fruits, pear-shaped with the taste of apple, apricot or strawberry. Eat the fruits of medlar raw and cook jams, jellies. They are not stored for long, are not suitable for export.
Description and features of medlar
Medlar grows up to 8 m in nature, gardens - 3 m, indoors - 1.5 m. It blooms white or cream, the inflorescences smell pleasantly and long delight with their appearance. The trunk is covered with a rough crown, shoots are prickly in nature, cultural species do not have them. The root system is branched, located close to the soil. Leaves up to 12 cm long and 6 cm wide, pointed, oblong, thick with short petioles and dark veins. From below they are pubescent, from above shiny, dark green.
Its value is represented by juicy fruits (within 3-5 seeds), collected in clusters the size of a plum. Sweet or sour-sweet, depending on the degree of ripening, appear in spring. The tree lives 40 years or more. Medlar grows at home in large flower pots, conservatories, and greenhouses.
Types of Medlar
Only three species are counted. In gardening, two are used - Japanese and German (Caucasian).
Japanese
Evergreen, with velvet leaves, blooms in October-November, on the shoots of the current year, the crop appears in May-June. Eat fruit immediately. Inside the fruit, sweet with friable flesh, there is one bone, the peel is soft, soft orange. It does not tolerate frost.
Caucasian
Deciduous, branches sprawling, form a broad crown, a trunk with a diameter of 15 cm, glossy waxy leaves on top, blooms in May-June, sour brown fruits with dense pulp appear in autumn.
The peculiarity of this species is that it blooms on last year's shoots.
Tolerates frosts. Eat fruit after freezing.
Breeders bred seedless varieties:
- Apirena - with small fruits.
- Huge Evreinova - fruits of 8 cm in diameter.
Stern (grayish)
Deciduous shrub with snow-white flowers and fruits similar to small red apples.
Varieties of medlar for indoor keeping
For growing medlar in the room, Japanese varieties are used:
- Frost - yellow, bright, fragrant fruits.
- Tanaka - sweet and sour, pear-shaped, orange and pink fruits inside.
- Champagne - pubescent with creamy flesh, dark yellow.
- Premier - orange-yellow.
- Silas - with apricot flavor.
- Victor - bright yellow fruits.
- Komunar - rounded, with a matte skin.
Growing medlar at home
Indoors, you can also get a fruiting tree, if you follow the rules.
Medlar loves light, place a houseplant on window sills facing south or east, in greenhouses, conservatories. During flowering, artificially illuminate up to 12 hours. Temperature + 18 ... +20 ° С, in winter +5 ° С.
The soil mixture is weakly acidic, neutral from peat, humus and leafy soil equally.
Water the plant along the edge of the tank or into the pan, after drying, the top layer of soil is loosened. The soil is not poured, it should be moderately moist to prevent root decay. In winter, watering is reduced. Take the settled water, the temperature of which is two degrees above room temperature. Dry, damaged branches are removed in the spring, they are cut in half the first 2-3 years, and form a crown.
In spring and until the end of autumn, the plant is fertilized with mineral and organic mixtures. When forming fruits, 2 liters of water, 200 g of manure and 20 g of ash are fed. During flowering, phosphorus top dressing is required, and potash is needed for active growth.
Young trees fertilize once a month, adults once a season. During rest they do not.
Young plants are transplanted every year, over 5 years old - after 4 years. Remove the topsoil to the very roots and fall asleep a new one.
Medlar blooms in October-November. From seeds, flowering begins for 4-5 years, cuttings - 3. The flowers are white or cream collected in a brush. The fruits ripen only in the summer, it is advised to leave 10-15 pieces in the first year.
Medlar breeding
Medlar propagates in several ways:
- By seeds - seeds are soaked for a day at + 18 ... +20 ° С. Pop-ups throw out. After that, they are placed in the refrigerator for several months (stratification), and then in Kornevin for 8 hours. Sown to a depth of 2-3 cm, in dishes with a drainage of 2 cm and soil for flowers. Cover with a film and air. Shoots usually appear after 1.5 months. When 2-3 leaves appear, they dive. Seeds can also be sown in open ground.
- Layers - bend healthy branches to the ground (after making an incision above the kidney in the cortex), fix it. For better strengthening add Kornevin. Separated after root growth, transplanted.
- Cuttings - cut branches by 15-20 cm during flowering. Places of cuts are treated with crushed charcoal. Leaves are cut by ¾. Planted in a separate bowl, create a greenhouse effect, watered, after a month they take root.
- Vaccination - this method is used by experienced gardeners. As a stock use pear, quince, hawthorn.
Pests and diseases of medlar, difficulties in leaving
Medlar is rarely exposed to diseases and pests with proper care. Inexperienced gardeners have difficulties:
- When the leaves dry on the edge, then completely - moisten the dry air.
- Black spots are fungal diseases. Reduce watering and spraying.
- If the leaves lose their elasticity - often watered.
- Rotting of the roots - reduce watering, treated with fungicide (Fitolavin).
- Does not bloom, does not bear fruit - violation of the period of winter dormancy. Stop watering and top dressing.
- Blossoms weakly - enhance lighting, cut.
- Aphid, spider mite - spray with a solution of laundry soap or tincture of calendula with water.
- Shield - treated with Actofit.
- Caterpillars are fumigated with tobacco smoke.
For prevention in early spring, the trunk, branches, soil are sprayed with 3% Bordeaux fluid.
Mr. Dachnik recommends: medlar - useful properties and contraindications
Medlar contains sugar, fiber, tannins, vitamins B, A, E, trace elements, iron, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, potassium, proteins, carbohydrates. Bark, foliage, plant seeds are of value. It contains organic acids: malic, tartaric, citric. Calorie content of the fetus is 42 kcal.
The plant has many healing properties:
- Normalizes digestion, cleanses the body.
- Strengthens the body's immunity and resistance to infections.
- Rich in folic acid, iodine.
- Leaves treat tonsillitis.
- Relieves renal colic, pain with stones in the bladder.
- Lowers cholesterol and removes salts of heavy metals.
- It has expectorant properties.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Useful for patients with diabetes mellitus (helps insulin production).
Medlar leaves reduce cravings for sweets, reduce appetite. Vitamin A promotes good vision. Widely used cosmetics from the plant for the skin.
Fruits are contraindicated for allergies, people suffering from gastritis, stomach ulcer, cholecystitis. The composition of the leaves contains cyanide glycosides, so the plant can bring not only benefits, but also harm.
