The quince is a piece of old garden culture, almost forgotten for many years and now returning. No wonder: the tree is undemanding and robust, flowers beautifully and bears golden-yellow fruit that fills a whole house with its scent. Raw they are rock-hard and tart, but cooked they transform into an aroma no other fruit has.
Anyone looking for a small, easy-care fruit tree that also bears alone is right with the quince. This article shows you the differences between the types, the correct harvest moment and what becomes of the hard fruit.
Apple quince or pear quince?
You tell the two types apart by the fruit shape. The apple quince is round and usually a little more tart and hard, the pear quince is elongated, often milder and finer in the flesh. Both suit jelly and juice; for paste many reach for the softer pear quince.
Proven varieties are the 'Konstantinopeler' apple quince and the 'Portugiesische Birnenquitte'. More important than the type, when planting anew, is disease robustness: varieties such as 'Cydora Robusta' are considered more fire-blight-tolerant.
A tree that bears alone
A great advantage of the quince over apple and pear: it is self-fertile. A single tree sets plenty of fruit even without a second variety nearby. On top of that it flowers late, often not until May, and so usually escapes late frost.
The spot should be warm, sunny and sheltered, much like the pear, to which the quince is closely related. How to plant a related tree and what else the spot must provide is in Planting a pear tree: warm spot, rootstock and pollinator.
Harvest and use
Quinces are harvested late, when they turn from green to a deep golden-yellow and smell intensely. A light frost harms them, so you bring them off the tree in good time in October. The grey down on the skin is rubbed off before processing.
What quinces become
- Quince jelly
The classic. Thanks to its high pectin content, quince juice sets on its own, without additives. A glowing amber, wonderfully fragrant jelly.
- Quince paste and purée
Boiled-down, firm quince paste, cut into pieces and dried, is an old sweet. Softer purée goes with cheese and game.
- Juice and liqueur
Quince juice is aromatic and can be worked into syrup or steeped liqueur. As an addition to apple juice the quince also shines.
- Scent in the house
A few ripe quinces in a bowl perfume a whole room for weeks. A by-product everyone once knew.
A robust tree that bears alone and ripens late. Raw the quince is nothing, cooked it is a treasure. Just watch for fire-blight-tolerant varieties.
The core rule on the quince
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat quinces raw?
Usually not. Most varieties are rock-hard, tart and astringent raw. Only cooking brings out their full aroma and makes them soft. There are a few milder varieties, but the pleasure almost always lies in the processing.
Does the quince need a second tree for pollination?
No. The quince is self-fertile; a single tree bears plenty even without a partner. That makes it ideal for small gardens with no room for two trees.
What is the difference between apple and pear quince?
The apple quince is round, more tart and harder; the pear quince elongated, milder and finer in the flesh. Both suit jelly and juice; for paste the softer pear quince is often preferred.
When are quinces ripe?
Late, usually in October, weeks 40 to 44, when they turn from green to deep golden-yellow and smell strongly. Harvest them before the first frost, as frost harms the fruit.
Why does quince jelly set without gelling sugar?
Because quinces naturally contain a great deal of pectin, the natural gelling agent. Pure quince juice with sugar therefore sets on its own, without any additives. That makes the quince the queen of jelly fruits.
