Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Dutch medlar (Mespilus germanica 'Dutch')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Dutch medlar, Large Dutch medlar, medlar 'Dutch'.

More about dutch medlar

About Dutch medlar

Mespilus germanica 'Dutch' · also called Dutch medlar, Large Dutch medlar · edible

An ancient, vigorous cultivar producing the largest fruits of the commonly grown medlars — russet-brown pomes up to 5 cm across with distinctive laurel-like foliage. 'Dutch' forms a spreading small tree, fully hardy to H6, and is appreciated for ornamental and culinary value. Fruits require bletting after frost before the sweet, tart flesh is enjoyable.

Cold limit: USDA 4-9 · RHS H6 (-20 to 35°C)

Watch for — Brown rot (Monilinia fructigena): Large fruits of 'Dutch' are susceptible to brown rot post-harvest or on the tree following wet autumns. Harvest before hard frosts and blet indoors; remove all rotten fruit promptly.

What dutch medlar's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — dutch medlar is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 4-9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H6 means: Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe. On the US scale that maps to USDA 4-9 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Dutch medlar is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for dutch medlar as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can dutch medlar go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 4-9 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when dutch medlar can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Dutch medlar hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is dutch medlar cold hardy?

Yes — dutch medlar is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 4-9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Dutch medlar is hardy across USDA 4-9; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature dutch medlar can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Dutch medlar is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is dutch medlar?

Dutch medlar is rated USDA 4-9 and RHS H6 — Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe.

Can dutch medlar survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 4-9 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to dutch medlar below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.