Cydonia oblonga

Deciduous tree reaching 7.5 m tall and 7 m wide, medium growth rate. Hermaphrodite flowers bloom May, seeds ripen November, insect-pollinated. Not self-fertile. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils in mildly acid to basic pH. Grows in full to semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil. Hardy to UK zone 4, not frost tender. Noted for attracting wildlife.

Description

A spreading bushy tree. It grows up to 5-8 m high and spreads 3-6 m wide. It forks low down on the trunk into crooked limbs. The leaves are large, and deep green above and downy underneath. They occur on young twigs. It loses its leaves. The flowers can be 5 cm across and mostly pale pink. The fruit are pear shaped and 15 cm long with hard flesh. The fruit can be 1 kg in size. They are yellow when ripe. They are edible when cooked.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. In warm temperate or tropical climates it becomes soft and juicy enough to eat fresh, but in cooler climates such as Britain it stays hard and astringent and requires cooking first. It is well suited to jellies and preserves, and adds an excellent flavour when cooked with apples. The flesh is strongly aromatic, firm, and somewhat gritty. The fruit is rich in pectin and measures around 10cm long and 9cm wide, tapering toward the stalk. A drink can be made by adding dried crushed seed to water, simmering for 5 minutes, and sweetening to taste. Flowers are also listed as edible, though no further details are given. Nutritional composition per 100g dry weight (355 calories; 0% water): Protein 2.7g, Fat 1.2g, Carbohydrate 94g, Fibre 14g, Ash 2.5g; Calcium 55mg, Phosphorus 95mg, Iron 4.3mg, Sodium 25mg, Potassium 1216mg; Vitamin A 130mg, Thiamine (B1) 0.15mg, Riboflavin (B2) 0.18mg, Niacin 1.8mg, Vitamin C 95mg. Figures represent the median of a reported range.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are usually cooked. They are good for jelly and preserves. They are made into pies, candy and jams. The seeds are dried and crushed then simmered for 5 minutes in water and sweetened to taste to make a drink. The seeds also yield a gum used as a stabiliser for ice cream. The leaves are used as wrappings for dolmas. The leaves are used for sarma in Turkey. They are rolled around a filling of rice or minced meat. The flowers can be eaten.

Medicinal Uses

The stem bark is astringent and is used to treat ulcers. The seed is a mild but reliable laxative, astringent, and anti-inflammatory. When soaked in water it swells into a mucilaginous mass with a soothing, demulcent action that is taken internally for respiratory diseases, especially in children. The same mucilage can be applied externally to minor burns. The fruit is antivinous, astringent, cardiac, carminative, digestive, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, pectoral, peptic, refrigerant, restorative, stimulant, and tonic. Syrup made from unripe fruit is very astringent and used for diarrhoea, and is considered particularly safe for children. The fruit and its juice can be used as a mouthwash or gargle for mouth ulcers, gum problems, and sore throats. The leaves contain tannin, which acts as an astringent, and pectin, which benefits the circulatory system and helps reduce blood pressure.

Known Hazards

The seed is poisonous. Like many of the species in the family Rosaceae it contains hydrogen cyanide (this is the substance that gives almonds their characteristic flavour). In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

Distribution

It grows in Mediterranean and temperate climates. It can grow in the highlands in the tropics. It is native to C. and S.W. Asia. It often grows on limestone. The tree is frost hardy. It will grow in many types of soil. It does best with a pH of 6-7. It can grow in a hot dry climate. A quince needs 100-400 hours of chilling. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Arboretum Tasmania.

Where It Grows

Africa, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Bolivia, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Crete, Cyprus, Czech Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indochina, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Moldova, Morocco, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, SE Asia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tunisia, Turkey*, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Russian Federation - Ciscaucasia, Dagestan, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils but prefers a light moist fertile soil and a sunny position. Dislikes very dry or waterlogged soils. Succeeds in semi-shade but does not fruit so well in such a position. Plants also tolerate quite deep shade, though they will often not fruit at all in such a position. Plants are hardy to about -15°c, though the fruit seldom ripens in the north of Britain unless it is grown against a sunny wall. The quince has been cultivated for over two thousand years for its edible fruit and its seed, though it is not a widely grown crop. It is also much used as a dwarfing rootstock for pears and some other fruits. There are some named varieties. Plants require warm summers in order to fully ripen their fruit. The var. 'Maliformis' ripens well in cooler summers. Quince trees are not typically self-fertile and usually require cross-pollination with another quince or related species for optimal fruit production. Quince is generally harvested in late autumn when the fruit turns golden yellow. Quince trees generally flower in spring depending on the climate and local conditions. Quince trees have a moderate growth rate, reaching a height of 12 to 15 feet in about 3 to 5 years, but they may take longer to begin producing fruit, often around 4 to 6 years after planting.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe, or alternatively in February. Stratification is required: fresh seed needs 18 weeks of cold pre-chilling, while old seed requires 2 weeks of warm stratification followed by 18 weeks of cold treatment. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle and grow on in a cold frame through at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Alternatively, take cuttings of mature wood in November in a cold frame, layer in spring (takes about 1 year), or remove suckers in spring.

Other Uses

Quince can be used as a companion plant in orchards to attract pollinators and beneficial insects, and is useful in hedgerows and for soil conservation due to its dense root system. A mucilage from the seed coat, which contains 20% mucilage and 15% fatty oils, is used as a gum arabic substitute to add gloss to material. The fruit is rich in pectin, which is said to protect the body against radiation. The leaves contain 11% tannin. Quince flowers produce nectar and pollen, attracting bees and other pollinators. The fruits provide food for birds and mammals, the dense foliage offers shelter, and the tree structure can be used for nesting and roosting. Rough bark and fallen leaf litter provide overwintering sites and shelter for beneficial invertebrates.

Production

Trees are slow growing. Trees bear in 3-4 years. Trees can live for 50 years.

Other Information

It is a cultivated food plant.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Amritphala, Ayva, Bai dana, Bam-tsuntu, Bamsutu, Bihi, Coines, Coing, Cotogna, Cydonian apple, Duna, Ftoi, utui, Ftoin, Kaontsy, K'omshi, Marmelo, Marumero, Melo cotogno, Membrillo, Mocqua, Mu gua, Navadna kutina, Quitte, Shimaimathala, Simadanimma, Simedalimbe, Voamerika, Wen po

References (64)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 154
• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Bhatia, H., et al, 2018, Traditionally used wild edible plants of district Udhampur, J&K, India. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:73
• Bianchini, F., Corbetta, F., and Pistoia, M., 1975, Fruits of the Earth. Cassell. p 134
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 312

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