Loquats in brief, Summary on the properties of the Medlar

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Medlars and proverbs	"In time and with straw they also ripen medlars" "Patience is the virtue of the strong" The medlars love to wait, and can be enjoyed in their maximum sweetness after a longer or shorter period following the harvest
Loquat: property	General properties: Astringent Regulatory of intestinal function Regulation of liver function febrifuge Anti-inflammatory Diuretic
Medlar: general description	The term "medlar" refers to the fruits of two different plant species: European medlar and Japanese medlar
European medlar tree	Property: Decoction of dried medlar bark: astringent Decoction: good natural remedy for inflammation of the oral cavity Immature fruit: strongly astringent → anti-diarrheal properties Ripe fruit → laxative properties Ripe fruit → diuretic Botanical description: Botanical name: Mespilus germanica Family: Rosaceae Tree description: small thorny tree Branches: twisted and robust Height: 5 meters Leaves: ovate-lanceolate, deciduous and pubescent on the inferior page, presenting a typically serrated margin Flowers: whitish, sessile and sedentary, simple and made up of 5 petals Fruits: medlar Seeds: hard, woody, inedible Unripe fruit characters: hard, unripe, strongly astringent, almost inedible Ripe fruit: very sweet, with a soft pulp
Japanese medlar tree	Description: Botanical name: Eriobotrya japonica Family: Rosaceae Description: a tree that is larger than the European one Height: 10 meters Leaves: hard, leathery, with a consistency comparable to cardboard, and very large Flowers: white, located in the terminal part of the branches Flowering: coincides with the first colds of winter Bouquet: intense, comparable to that of hawthorn Fruits: yellow medlar, orange that contain seeds Seeds: one or two large seeds hidden in the pulp. Not edible (contain hydrocyanic acid) Japanese medlars and ripening They can also be consumed not completely mature → earnings for the sellers, who anticipate their commercialization to exploit the lack of market competition of the typical summer fruits Japanese medlars: uses Liqueur (with seeds: Nespolino) Jams (pulp) Honey (flowers)