What is a Quince?

squeaky

Oh, right I didn't look any lower because the two pictures I mentioned were fine for what I wanted to show.

There's even an entire galaxy a bit further down...

Trying2Save_3

Not sure what I've got growing in the garden, I thought it was a Japonica The red flowers are the same as in Squeaky's picture first row, 3rd one. I will have to wait until the fruit has formed - but I wouldn't want to poison us all :eek:

squeaky

Mine look very much like that and I was told, as I was given the cutting, that it's a flowering quince. I've no idea if that's an alternate name to Japonica. Anyway, mine flower very early in spring and the fruits are already showing well though they seldom get any bigger than a golf ball and many are barely marble sized. Haven't made anything with them yet.

Debt_Free_Chick

squeaky wrote:

Mine look very much like that and I was told, as I was given the cutting, that it's a flowering quince. I've no idea if that's an alternate name to Japonica. Anyway, mine flower very early in spring and the fruits are already showing well though they seldom get any bigger than a golf ball and many are barely marble sized. Haven't made anything with them yet.

Japonica means "Japanese" e.g. Japanese Quince. I think you have a Chaenomeles Japonica an Ornamental Quince. The fruit are probably edible, but maybe a little bitter, although the seeds are (apparently) poisonous. See here

squeaky

Then from the description there I don't have one of those. Or maybe it's one of the other varieties. I'm sure it's a quince - he sez, well, fairly sure

KTFrugal

Those "round quinces" are edible, but only cooked. I've made jelly from them in the past, as you would with rowans and other tree fruits. The fruit is too seedy and pithy to make jam with, but the jelly's not bad at all and is a nice pale pink colour. Mix it with apples to get a better yield.

"Pear shaped quinces" are a treat in October/November and if you have one of those trees in the garden, lucky you.

Allexie

apprentice_tycoon wrote:

I have a recipe for quince preserve...I have absolutely no idea what it's like, it's from a city gardening book...Urban Eden by Adam and James Caplin

Quinces
Sugar

wash the quinces and quarter them to remve the cores but do not peel
cut into chunck and steam till soft
weigh the cooked quinces and put aside the same amount of sugar
puree the quince in a blender then add the sugar
cook the sweetened pulp in a saucepan until it's deep orange and starts to come away from the sides of the pan when stirred
line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and pour the pulp into the tray to a depth of 1/4" - 2"
put in a cooling oven (after cooking something else) till dry
when dry cut into squares, store in an airtight tin and consume within 2 weeks

This is scrumptious stuff, especially served with cheese as they do in Spain...('dulce de membrillo' it's called there)...just wish I had some quinces

Trying2Save_3

Mine have red flowers early in spring as well and there are now round, speckled green shaped fruit on them, about the size of a satsuma. Maybe I can take a photo with my mobile and post it here. Anyone know if you can and how to do it?

juno

We have quince growing in our garden, and I was told you can't eat them if they grow in the UK!

I have no idea if this correct though.

squeaky

Trying2Save wrote:

Mine have red flowers early in spring as well and there are now round, speckled green shaped fruit on them, about the size of a satsuma. Maybe I can take a photo with my mobile and post it here. Anyone know if you can and how to do it?

Yes you can. After taking the picture you need to upload it (either to your own site or, if you prefer, one of the many hosting sites on the web) and then you can either just post the URL as is, or as a hyperlink, though if the picture is small you can post it direct as an image.

For more info on this you should use the Beginner's Guide posted by sra which you can find linked at the bottom of our welcome sticky.