Cydonia oblonga

Plant Family

Rosaceae

Plant Botanical Name

Cydonia oblonga

Photo by: JESSIE KEITH

Plant Common Name

Quince

General Description

Glorious, multi-colored bark and crops of fragrant, sweet, candy-like fruits are a prized attribute of quince. A slow growing, multi-stemmed, small deciduous tree, it is native to Persia in western Asia and has been cultivated for centuries by many classical civilizations. Its bark is smooth but flakes away to reveal pretty mottlings of beige, cream, gray-green and golden tan.

In spring, the simple oblong-oval leaves emerge a light green and unfurl on the branches, soon followed by large, five-petaled white or barely light pink blossoms that are visited by bees. By summer, the leaves have matured to a medium green with fuzzy, lighter green or gray-green undersides. The fruits will mature by early autumn, becoming fragrant and yellow. They may be apple-like in shape or more like a pear. In cooler regions the fruits have a fuzzy skin, but in hotter climes they are much more smooth in texture. In autumn the foliage turns shades of orange and red before dropping and exposing not only the lovely mottled bark, but the architecturally interesting contorted, gnarled but upright branches.

Grow quince in full sun in a soil that has good drainage but is not too rich, as it leads to very lush growth that is overly susceptible to fireblight. Plant in an area that will not be cultivated, as the shallow surface roots will sucker if damaged. Regions with very high humidity may find this tree difficult to culture. Remove all suckering stems as they do not flower and fruit, primarily draining resources that should be directed into the main tree. Many cultivars have arisen over the years, with different fruit aromas, flesh colors and flavors. White-fleshed selections include the large, pear-shaped 'Havran', the very aromatic and oblong 'Smyrna', pineapple-flavored 'Pineapple', or the very large sized 'Cooke's Jumbo'. Yellow-fleshed varieties are the spicy-flavored and oblong 'Van Deman' or the pineapple-tasting 'Aromatnaya'. Cultivar 'Apple' has rounded fruits with an orange-yellow flesh.

The fragrant flesh and sweet flavors of the quince fruit are widely regarded for fresh chutney, sweet sauces or as a table fruit. They also are renowned for delicious preserves and ciders. Fresh fruits last for many months if stored in a cool, dry, shaded location.

Characteristics

• AHS Heat Zone

  10 - 1

• USDA Hardiness Zone

  6 - 9

• Sunset Zone

  2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

• Plant Type

  Fruit

• Sun Exposure

  Full Sun, Partial Sun

• Height

  10'-25' / 3.0m - 7.6m

• Width

  15'-25' / 4.6m - 7.6m

• Bloom Time

  Spring

• Native To

  Western Asia

Growing Conditions

• Soil pH

  Acidic, Neutral

• Soil Drainage

  Well Drained

• Soil type

  Clay, Loam

• Growth Rate

  Slow

• Water Requirements

  Drought Tolerant, Average Water

• Habit

  Oval/Rounded

• Seasonal Interest

  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

• Flower Interest

  Showy

• Fragrant Flowers

  Yes

• Fragrant Fruit

  Yes

• Fragrant Foliage

  No

• Bark or Stem Fragrant

  No

• Repeat Bloomer

  No

• Showy Fruit

  Yes

• Edible Fruit

  Yes

• Showy Foliage

  No

• Evergreen

  No

• Showy Bark

  Yes

Special Characteristics

• Usage

  Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border

• Sharp or Has Thorns

  No

• Invasive

  No

• Self-Sowing

  No