The Meldarapple Tree is a wild fruit tree that grows in northern Santharia as far south as Marcogg and as far north as Nyermersys. They bear crisp pink barriers in the late summer and early autumn months and have wood of a softly tinted pinkish white, making it a desired material by woodworkers.

Image description. A Meldarapple Tree growing in the Helmondsshire. Image drawn by Eshóh K'ryvvlen.

Appearance. The Meldarapple Tree is a bit smaller than most average trees, tending to grow about 3 peds high in the middle part of northern Santharia. They grow rather small in more northern and southern regions, ranging from about 2 to 2.5 peds high. Their leaves are a bit wider than most trees and rather jagged around the edge. Meldarapple Trees are a light green color, though in the autumn they turn to shades of red and pink, giving its habitat a colorful shade. Its trunk appears a light reddish-brown color, but inside it has a beautiful brown with a tinted pinkish white, making it popular among wood-workers. The berries of the Meldarapple Tree are slightly larger than most berries, averaging anywhere from four to seven nailsbreadths in diameter, and have a more firm texture than many of their kind. These berries are rounded and are almost a pure white color before ripening into a pink color. The flower of this tree, which usually bloom in late spring and early summer, is a blushing pink color, though they can sometimes appear white with a pink tint. Their petals are soft and usually shaped like white, elegant triangles with a more curved body.

Territory. Meldarapple has a wide range in the northern and mid Santharian Kingdom and can be found all the way from Nyermersys to Marcogg. They rarely grow on mountains, though, and are more commonly found on plains, heaths, and steppes that aren’t too elevated. They grow near each other, though never too densely. They love the sun and rain, and thus don’t grow well in crowded forest-like areas. These resilient trees have a knack of being able to grown in even the hardest soil as they are more concerned with the weather in their environment.

Usages. The Meldarapple berries tend to be rather crisp and have a slightly sour taste to them, but are still enjoyed by many people all over the Santharian Kingdom. They are rather popular as a sweetened snack are desert, which usually involves them being peeled and cut into bite-size pieces before having honey poured on top of them. They are also commonly made into a jelly so that they can keep for years. Jars of Medlarapple jelly are a common gift among many people during birthdays and holidays. These berries can also be dried, and serve as a great travel-snack. The wood of the Meldarapple Tree is popular for its pleasant smell and its pinkish white tint. The flowers of the Meldarapple Tree can be dried and used to give any room a pleasant scent.

Image description. The crisp berries of the Medlarapple Tree. Image drawn by Bard Judith.

Reproduction. In the middle of spring, small buds begin growing on the Meldarapple Tree and their fruity scent fills the air with a sweet aroma. Pollen is sometimes transferred from plant to plant by wind, but is more often transferred by the malise and other insects. The flowers that receive the pollen of other Meldarapple plants will produce berries that are a combination of the two plants, containing the characteristics of both, while other flowers, still producing berries, will carry only the characteristics of the tree from which it hangs. These berries then ripen, turning pink, and form seeds within their core. A Meldarapple berry may produce anywhere from 2 to 4 seeds. When the berry falls from the tree, the outside will become fertilizer to help the seeds grow. It may take up to 3 years for a Meldarapple tree to fully develop.

The Meldarapple tree depends upon different kinds of deer to help the seeds gain a lot of distance, commonly the starback and the Sarvonian white deer. Though these creatures eat the Meldarapple berries, the seeds won’t fully breakdown in the animal’s digestive track, so when they are discarded as a waste product they are still able to grow. Usually when they are discarded they have gained quite a lot of distance, and the feces in which they are placed provide a good start for a healthy Meldarapple tree.