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Fruit EdibleTreesSynonym

Cydonia oblonga Portugal

Portuguese quince

A small, rounded, deciduous tree, with solitary, pink and white flowers to 5cm wide. Large, pear-shaped, fragrant, deep yellow fruit follow in autumn. Both young foliage and fruit have a downy, silvery-grey coating

Synonyms

Cydonia oblonga Portugal

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Ultimate height

2.5–4 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Seeds contain toxins so these should be removed if you are considering eating the fruit, usually grown as an ornamental shrub. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Cydonia are large deciduous shrubs with simple, ovate leaves and 5-petalled, bowl-shaped pink or white flowers, followed by pear-like fruits, edible when ripe
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a warm, sheltered spot as flowers are susceptible to frost and warm conditions are needed for the fruit to ripen well. Tolerant of a wide range of soils, but will do best where soil is deep and moisture retentive, so long as it is not prone to waterlogging. See quince cultivation

Propagation

Propagated from semi-ripe cuttings in summer, but it is often propagated by grafting onto a clonal rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will determine the size of the plant

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to caterpillars and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to quince leaf blight, brown rot, fireblight, powdery mildews and honey fungus

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