Janet wrote:
In article ,
says...
In a Norwich soliitor's car park I saw a tree - bushy/small tree growth,
about eight feet high (At present), with long (entire) leaves which
resemble olive leaves in their pubescent pastel effect, though they were
slightly narrower than the olive's.

The fruit is a small pear - around the size of a crab apple, almost
spherical with only a little tapering into the stalk.

Sort of medlar? I asked myself. Nope. The calyx was much too small.
No-one in the office knew, so I took a few pears home.

They retted like a medlar rather than ripened, and the pips had a
quincey look to them. The flesh was pleasantly flavoured (when retted),
but it was littered with gritty nodules which suggested that the tree
was never much use for its fruit.

Anyone any idea what it might be?

Are you sure it's not eleagnus angustifolia, which is a common small
landscaping tree and has edible fruit (not this far north,
unfortunately)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_angustifolia

Wrong sort of fruit - Eleagnus has a drupe - this has a pear, with a
core, with pip-shaped pips, and grity pearlike flesh, pearlike skin, but
unpearlike leaves.

failing that take a look through

http://www.whispering-trees.co.uk/tr...5&sectionID=59

Ah! Thanks - that looks a lot more promising. And the nursery's in
Norfolk, as is the tree...

--
Rusty