 True Name/ Common Name:
Quince – Cydonia oblonga
Description of Look and Flavor:
Quinces are pear-shaped and ripen from green to golden yellow. They are pear-shaped and related to both pears and apples. The flesh is slightly firmer than an apple and has a bit more tartness. Most species of quince are not edible when raw and must be cooked or made into jam in order to be palatable. Only one variety can be eaten fresh. The seeds of the quince are poisonous and cannot be eaten, but the flesh is so perfumed and delicious that the quince even holds a place among the gods in Greek mythology.
Growth Period/ Harvest –
These are a summer and fall fruit that can be picked during peak season or left on the tree to ripen, but must be picked before the first frost. They are frost hearty and actually require the cold during their dormant cycle.
Nutritional Info –
Quinces are excellent sources of vitamin c and high in fiber. Other Uses –
Anything apples can do quinces can do (better?). Any recipe you use an apple for can be spruced up a bit with quince. With a similar, but more pungent and flavorful taste, quinces will make an old favorite into a new sensation. Interesting Facts/ Misnomers -
Quince is used as a rootstock for some plants to be grafted on to. This means the roots of a quince tree are attached to a different kind of tree to provide better support, more efficient roots, or desirable effects on the fruit. For instance, pear trees, when grafted onto quince rootstock, will not grow tall. They instead put all their energy into producing fruit bearing branches and maturing the fruit faster.
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