[a1pulley]

Forgotten by some, maybe, but there are many Iranian-American and Armenian-American families with medlar trees in their suburban LA yards. It is sold at Paradise Nursery in Chatsworth.

[mano78]

Northern Italy here, I have a tree of nespole and it's pretty common even. Not the most common, but not forgotten here.

[nkurz]

While "nespole" is apparently sometimes called "Japanese Medlar" in English, they are more usually called "Loquat" (Eriobotrya japonica): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat

They are quite different and not very closely related to the true "Medlar" (Mespilus germanica) described in this article as forgotten: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus_germanica

You might mistake them in a black-and-white photo, but otherwise are easily distinguished. Neither is well known in most of the US, but the loquat is commonly grown in California yards while the medlar is a true rarity here.

[HelloNurse]

It's quite low maintenance and low effort for a fruit tree, and as long as someone likes medlar (don't count me in), why not?