This is the loquat tree in our front garden. The fruit is known as 'mespila' here in Cyprus, so that's what we tend to call them too. They're about the size of plums when they're ripe, and the colour of apricots. The taste is a little like a combination of the two although there are three or four largish stones in each fruit.
Usually they are ripe by this time of year, or nearly so; however they're only just starting to turn orange so it'll probably be another couple of weeks at least before we can eat them raw. There's a good crop,anyway, assuming we get to them before the birds do. I'll probably make some jam with the earlier fruit, which tends to be a little tart when raw. I might freeze some too for future desserts, but we don't have a whole lot of freezer space.
9 comments:
Just to say this is the first time I have tasted this fruit and they are lovely. I was trying to get some to take home yesterday,but could'nt find any in the time we had to get to the airport. I was trying to find the english word for what they are called, thats how I got this page.
regards
Wow, amazing to think this page has already got to search engines, in less than a month! I'm glad it helped answer the question too although I've never come across loquats in England.
Hi All.
This fruit is called PLUM OF MALTA or NEWWORLD FRUIT in Turkish Cypriot community.
Just for yr info.
ALPER
Mespila are known as medlar in english. Unfortunately, I don't think they're available in England.
No, having looked at the Wikipedia article on medlar, they're not the same at all. What we call mespila in Cyprus are what are known as loquats - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat shows photos of mespila. The article about medlar shows something rather different (though they acknowledge a possible relationship).
I don't think either are available in England.
Mespila could be found in London, and they are known as medlars. They are a little bit bigger than the ones we have in Cyprus though, probably a different variety. Bought them from Wood Green and Finchley :)
They are widely imported and sold in grocery shops around London. I also add that the trees can bear fruit, cetainly in London. I grew a tree from pips brought in from Ibiza and given mild winters without too much frost,they do flower and fruit. Alas the cold spell we had early in 2011 did not help but I still managed to eat a dozen off my own mature tree this last week(and very sweet and tasty they were too). There are at least another 4 trees within the vicinity and each has a measure of fruit on them. The Mespila as known in Cyprus looks remarkably like a Medlar tree but only insofar as the leaves. The fruit is quite different to a medlar or mespila germanicus as it's called. The Mespila in your picture is a common fruit bearing tree all around the Med. Milder winters and summers here in the UK allow this wonderful fruit to grow here too (with a little luck).
The leaves of the mespila tree have many medicinal qualities. They can cure aches and pains.
Pick the leaves when they turn dark green in colour.
Place the leaf where the pain occurs and rub the area with the leaf for a few minutes, then leave it on the area where the pain occurs overnight. I haven't tried it myself but I'm told it works.
I've just tasted the Mespila for the first time and they are fabulous. I'm going to try and grow a bush from seed, who knows, worth a go I think.
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