Pome Fruits
Apple, pear, quince, Asian pear, loquat
10 articles in this section
Apple: From Kazakh Mountains to Every Orchard on Earth
Every apple in the world descends from wild trees in Kazakhstan. The 10,000-year story of how humans bred 7,500 named varieties — and how to grow your own.
Pear: The Apple's Cousin — Origin, History, and How to Grow
European pears and Asian pears are separate species that took entirely different paths. The full pear story, and which to plant where.
Quince: The Forgotten Pome — Origin, History, and How to Grow
Quince was the love-apple of ancient Greece — fragrant, golden, and inedible raw. The unique story of a fruit that almost vanished from modern kitchens.
Asian Pear (Nashi): The Apple-Pear of East Asia
Crisp like an apple, juicy like a pear, native to East Asia for 3,000 years. The story of the Nashi and how it differs from European pears.
Loquat: The Subtropical Spring Pome
The loquat is a southern Chinese pome fruit that ripens in spring when nothing else is fresh. A guide to its story and how to grow this overlooked tree.
Crabapple: The Wild Ancestor in Your Garden
Crabapples are the wild ancestors of the modern apple, with small tart fruit prized for jelly. The full story.
Medlar: The Medieval Fruit That Must Rot to Be Eaten
The medlar is so strange you must let it half-rot ("blet") before eating. The story of this medieval European staple, almost extinct in modern times.
Serviceberry (Saskatoon): The North American Native
Saskatoons fed indigenous peoples of the North American plains for thousands of years. The story of this overlooked native fruit.
Hawthorn: The Heart-Medicine Tree of Europe
Hawthorn berries have been used in European herbal cardiac medicine for over 800 years. The story of this thorny hedgerow tree.
Rowanberry: The Norse Tree of Protection
Rowan berries have been used in Norse and Celtic tradition for over 1,500 years. A guide to this mountain tree and its bright orange fruit.