Flowering quince. Photo credit: Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org
by Bronwynne Bailey
Originating from Asia Minor, Quinceis a fruiting tree which grows large, fragrant, yellow fruit like pears. The raw fruit is bitter, but when cooked it creates delicious jelly, pastries, and other desserts. A quince tree can be planted in the early spring, but it takes up to six years to produce fruit. The quince tree (Cydonia oblonga) shouldn’t be confused with the Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica). Japanese quince is an ornamental flowering shrub, not a tree. The shrub produces pale pink or white blooms in early spring. In the United States, Japanese quince is planted as a unique flowering shrub in the landscape, and it is not grown for its fruit.
Colors and Varieties
- Jumbo: fruit is white, instead of yellow
- Orange: fruit has orange-yellow flesh
- Pineapple: fruit has white flesh with a pineapple fragrance and flavor
- Smyrna: fruit is yellow with pink flowers
- Rich’s Dwarf: is a smaller tree that grows 8 to 12 feet with large fruit
- Champion’s: fruit has a lemony flavor
- Cooke’s Jumbo: has large fruit and white-pink flowers
Growth Habits
Quince can grow thirteen to thirty feet tall and wide. However, they can withstand cold temperatures as low as -15 degrees Fahrenheit and thrive in USDA zones five to nine.
Fertilizer
Fertilize only once a year during the winter, applying a slow-release, low-nitrogen fertilizer with micronutrients under the canopy. Using high nitrogen content and providing too much fertilizer leads to disease in the tree.
Soil Preferences
Keep the soil around the quince tree well-drained, slightly moist, and be sure soil is augmented with organic materials. Quince trees prefer acidic soil but will tolerate slight alkalinity. Basic soil will lead to iron deficiencies.
Planting Depth & Spacing
Plant quince trees in early spring. Do not plant quince in hot, dry weather which will stress the tree. A sunny location but out of the path of wind is ideal for this tree. Do not plant a quince tree in a low spot where frost accumulates. Dig a hole twice as wide as the tree’s roots spread out and the same depth as the container. Spread the roots out when placing the seedling in the hole.
Watering
Quince trees are not very drought-tolerant and can only endure one or two weeks without water until established. Once established, water deeply every two weeks. Insufficient water results in fruit drop. Overwatering can lead to the onset of fire blight.
Pruning
After the last frost, prune dead and damaged branches and remove lower branches. The fruit develops on old growth, so be cautious when pruning the tips of branches. Suckering quince trees have the habit of forming thickets, so remove suckers immediately. Proper pruning that opens the plants’ centers to sun and fresh air reduces disease risk.
Fruit
Quince trees will usually start bearing fruit when they are five or six years old.Once you have fruit, wait until the fall to harvest; the fruit is ready for picking when they are golden yellow. Fruit ready to harvest will also be very fragrant, intensifying as they mature. Pick the fruit off the tree before the first frost.
Pests
Quince trees are susceptible to the codling moth, which results in wormy fruits. You may need to trap them and follow up with pesticide spray if the numbers are large.
Fire blight is a devastating bacterial disease that affects quince and other fruiting trees and shrubs. Cankers on the plant will ooze a tan watery fluid. Eventually this exudate will turn black. If you suspect fire blight, consider hiring a professional arborist to apply a copper solution for treatment.
Propagation
Pansies are grown from seeds. Pansies can be directly seeded into your flower garden. However, I recommend an early indoor start six to eight weeks before November. Seeds germinate slowly, usually in 10 to 20 days.
Propagating a quince tree from a cutting is a more reliable method than growing the tree from seeds. Take cuttings in the fall or early winter. Choose a branch that is one to three years old, remove a ten-inch section cutting at an angle. Be sure to use a sterilized cutting tool.Remove the bottom three inches of bark from the cutting and apply rooting hormone. Plant in rich, moistened potting soil. Once leaves develop, transfer the plant into a larger container and allow the plant to mature by placing it in indirect sunlight and keeping the soil moist. In early spring plant the cutting in a sunny location.
