Cydonia oblonga

Description:
Large edible golden fruit hang on sturdy stems on this small hardy trouble free tree. Great ornamental value with its 5 cm pale pink flowers. Round dark green leaves are smooth on the upper and very downy on the underside. Don't confuse this with Japanese quince as a single fruit can perfume an entire room with its sweet spicy scent. Grows to 7 meters tall with equal spread. Rugged dark brown bark.

Notes:
Some suggest this is the legendary 'golden apple' Paris rewarded Aphrodite in Greek myth. Valuable and extremely useful tree for any orchard. Used as a rootstock for pears, Cydonia's tolerance for damp sites make it ideal for our saturated winter soils. The slipper substance surrounding the seeds is often used by herbalists for some skin moisturizers. We use its pectin rich fruit (weighing more than 500 g) in many recipes from jam, jelly to apple pie filling. But one MUST cook quince first as the fruit is normally rock hard or have them pressed at the local cidery. Saves money for us home canners in pectin costs and adds a spicy flavour that will keep people guessing at your epicurean ways!

Cultivation:
Seeds best when kept moist or they enter deep dormancy. Stratification: let stand in water for 12 hours then sow 2-3 cm deep in compost rich medium. Tamp firm. Keep moist. Cold stratify for 90-120 days then expose to Spring like conditions (20 C) to germinate. Quick growing seedlings will be ready to plant out the same Autumn. Use as rootstock in its second or third year.