Quince tree care

*Cydonia oblonga* -- the fruiting quince -- is one of the most underappreciated fruit trees in North American horticulture. It is nearly self-fruitful, relatively compact, disease tolerant compared to apples, and ornamentally attractive in spring with large white to pale-pink flowers. The fruit is.

Cydonia oblonga — the fruiting quince — is one of the most underappreciated fruit trees in North American horticulture. It is nearly self-fruitful, relatively compact, disease tolerant compared to apples, and ornamentally attractive in spring with large white to pale-pink flowers. The fruit is astringent raw but transforms into deep amber, fragrant, and richly flavored preserves, pastes, and jellies after cooking.

Do not confuse Cydonia oblonga with ornamental flowering quince (Chaenomeles japonica or C. speciosa), which produces small, hard fruit of marginal culinary quality. The fruiting quince is a separate species and a genuinely productive food-producing tree.

I don't grow quince at my zone 7a Long Island plot. This guide is sourced from Cornell, Penn State, and Oregon State Extension.

Identification: fruiting quince vs ornamental quince

Per Cornell Cooperative Extension:

• **Fruiting quince (Cydonia oblonga):** Tree, 10-15 feet. Large, irregular, apple-to-pear-shaped yellow fruit (2-4 inches). Single species. Fragrant.
• **Ornamental quince (Chaenomeles spp.):** Shrub, 3-10 feet. Smaller, hard fruit; primarily grown for early-spring flowers. Different genus.

Nurseries sometimes sell ornamental quince under the label "quince." Verify the scientific name before purchasing if culinary production is the goal.