Quince (not to be confused with “quints” – a set of five children born at the same time) is an unusual shrub. It flowers prolifically. The fruit looks like small wrinkled up yellow apples.
There are several kinds of quince and I’m not sure which kind I have in my back yard. I thought there was only one kind of quince bush until I tried to find out more about it. It’s possible that mine is a flowering quince because the fruit is smaller than that of some other types.
Here is my quince bush in April, just beginning to get blossoms.
Now, in May, the flowers have opened up and the whole bush is loaded in lovely blossoms.
Last year in the fall I took some pictures of the quince fruit as it was still ripening on the shrub. The fruit was smaller than the size of a golf ball, which is why I wonder if the shrub is an ornamental variety. Pictures of quince I found in recipes online are a bit bigger.
Nevertheless, I made jam from this bitter fruit. I strained the juice after cooking the quince and then added the sugar to make jam, so there were no seeds or peels in it. While you wouldn’t try to eat quince raw — too astringent — the jam was pretty good.
Do you know something about quince that you would like to share with us?
I’ve never heard of quince, but those blooms are gorgeous! Our hummingbirds would love it.
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I agree, Jill. They are pretty and a good colour for attracting hummingbirds.
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I’d have to look it up to confirm it, but I believe they’re called “Quitten” in German, and people do make “Quittengelee” [a jelly-type of jam] from it.
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Yes, that’s what Hans said too, probably about the same time as you were writing this comment. Good info to know. Thanks, Pit.
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You’re welcome, Anneli!
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I remember that a few times I helped a former colleague in Germany to cut up quince fruit for her to make the preserves. The fruit were so hard that she had difficulties.
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Yes, Quitten in German. My mom used to make Quittengelee 🙂
The quince is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae (which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits). It is a deciduous tree that bears a pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear, and bright golden-yellow when mature. Throughout history the cooked fruit has been used as food, but the tree is also grown for its attractive pale pink blossoms and other ornamental qualities.
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Thanks for that info, Hans. And the word “Quitten” is familiar to me too, but I would never have thought of it myself.
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I love watching quince blossom. In California the blooms of the flowering quince occur in February, which coincides with the Chinese New Year. Many people celebrate the Chinese New Year with it. Beautiful photos, Anneli.
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I think I read that one of the varieties is native to Asia, so that makes sense. Thanks, Jet.
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NatGeo quality. Full stop.
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Aw, that’s kind of you.
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The quince on your tree do look like apples. Judging from your description I would not want to taste the fruit. Beautiful photos, Anneli!
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For sure they are not good until they are cooked.
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I am fond of quince jelly and became familiar with it when I lived in Germany. I have also had it mixed with strawberries in a pie – also good. I don’t think your quince bush is ornamental – it may just need trimming (removing blossoms) to produce larger fruit. The larger fruit would also likely be milder.
Beautiful photos. 🙂
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You’re probably right. I haven’t trimmed it in a long time. Thanks.
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Beautiful blossoms and a delightful color!
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TY. I always like to see it bloom.
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Are they edible?
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Yes, but cooked. I think they’d be too bitter to eat off the tree.
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Quince (Quittengelee) is my absolute favorite! There is no similar taste to this fruit. Unfortunately it disappeared from the markets. I found it in Switzerland while we there and saved it for a long time. Finally I ate it and I have to search around to get this gelee again.
Lovely flowers on this tree!
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It is definitely unique in flavour. Looks like we have to go to Australia to find it in the stores, as Raili has told us.
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I’ve heard of quince, never knew what it was exactly. It’s flowers are gorgeous! And YOU are amazing to make jam out of the fruit. Bet it’s yummy on toasted wheat bread.
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Well, it is an acquired taste, kind of like the bitter part of orange marmalade.
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Quince grows here and some shops sell the fruit. It is apple size. Hard as wood, difficult to peel and core but worth the effort. When baked or cooked it turns a beautiful rosy pink and tastes just like apple. I cook/bake it like I would an apple. It can be made into quince jelly, which we also can buy in the shops here. great on a cheese platter. Not something I’ve tried making myself as it is so readily available in the shops.
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Interesting, Raili. It’s not as popular here at all. You rarely even see quince jelly in the stores.
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I know absolutely nothing about plants. Thank you for teaching me something new. I never even heard of Quince, other than it’s the number fifteen in Spanish (lol). I hope to put up some photos on my next blog post and will need your help in naming the flowers. 😛 Have a great weekend, Anneli.
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I’m not sure how much help I can be but there are a lot of bloggers out there who are experts. Looking forward to seeing your photos.
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Lovely!
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Thanks, Jennie.
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Thank you!
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Stunning!
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Thanks, Cathi.
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Gorgeous photos, Anneli, but I’ve never heard of quince. I love the bird at the top of your blog posts! 🙂
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It’s a Harris sparrow that I took a photo of in Montana. If you’d like to copy the photo to draw or paint, feel free to do that.
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It’s beautiful. Thanks for the offer, Anneli. Maybe someday! I haven’t painted a bird in a long time.
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