Quince belongs to the exact same botanical family as apples and also pears. The fruit is indigenous to southwest Asia, and was discussed of in Greek and Roman times. It is also developed within Europe and also the USA, even though these types of fruits might be tougher compared to those developed in hotter nations. Consume a quince as you would consume an apple or even pear, poach or even stew, or help make jam or jelly if you have a glut. Due to its unpleasant taste and texture it is difficult to eat raw. Sufficient cooking, however, softens them and brings out the floral aroma they hold deep inside along with a lovely sweetness. The fruit is larger than average apple and bumpy; appear somewhat like large guava, avocado, or as short-necked pear fruit. Its fuzzy surface is smooth as in peaches. Quince fruit weighs about 250-750 g or more in some varieties.
| Name | Quince |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cydonia oblonga |
| Native | Cydonia oblonga |
| Common/English Name | Apple-shaped Quince, Common Quince, Quince, Quince Seeds, Quince Tree. |
| Name in Other Languages | French : Cognassier Swedish : Kvitten Albanian : Ftua Hebrew : Habush Arabic : Habbus Safarjal (Seeds) Hungarian : Birs Russian : Aiva Chinese : Wen Po Iran : Beh Turkish : Ayva Lebanon : Sfarjel Dutch : Japanse Kwee Persian : Safarjal Japanese : Marumero Eastonian : Harilik Küdoonia Polish : Pigwa Finnish : Kvitteni Malta : Gamm Ta’ L-Isfargel Serbian : Dunja Czech : Kdouloň Italian : Cotogno Spanish : Membrillero Gaelic : Cainche Brazil : Marmelo Greek : Kydoni Slovašcina : Kutina India : Behidana (Seeds) Portuguese : Cidónia German : Echte Quitte Danish : Almindelig Kvæde Norwegian : Kvede |
| Plant Growth Habit | Deciduous, unarmed, perennial shrub or small tree |
| Growing Climate | Warm, sunny, sheltered spot is required as the flowers are susceptible to frost and sun is needed for the fruit to ripen. |
| Soil | Tolerate a range of soil but grow best in a deep, fertile, moisture-retentive soil. |
| Plant Size | 5 to 8 meters (16 to 26 ft.) high and 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 ft.) wide |
| Branchlets | Purplish red when young, turning purplish brown with age, terete, initially densely tomentose becoming glabrous when old. |
| Leaf | Alternate, petiolate (0.8–1.5 cm long) with caducous, tomentose ovate stipules (Plate 1 ). Lamina is simple, ovate to oblong, 5–10 × 3–5 cm, lower surface pale green with conspicuous veins and densely villous, upper surface dark green glabrous or sparsely pubescent when young, base rounded or subcordate, margin entire, apex acute or emarginate. |
| Flower | 4–5 cm across on tomentose pedicel with caducous, ovate bracts with campanulate hypanthium which is densely tomentose abaxially; sepals 5, ovate or broadly lanceolate, 5–6 mm, longer than hypanthium, both surfaces tomentose, margin glandular serrate, apex acute; petals 5, white or pinkish, 1.8 cm long; stamens less than 1/2 as long as petals. styles nearly as long as stamens, densely villous basally |
| Fruit Shape & Size | Fragrant, pear-shaped, 7 to 12 centimeters (2.8 to 4.7 in) long and 6 to 9 centimeters (2.4 to 3.5 in) across, densely tomentose with persistent reflexed sepals and stout, tomentose fruiting pedicel, 5 mm long. Pulp is firm, fleshy and aromatic. |
| Fruit Color | Light green turning yellow when ripe |
| Fruit Skin | Fuzzy surface |
| Flesh Color | Light yellow, gritty |
| Flavor/Aroma | Intense fruity aroma |
| Taste | Astringent, acidulous taste |
| Fruit Weight | Weighs about 250-750 g or more in some varieties |
| Varieties/Types |
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| Major Nutrition | Selenium, Se 0.6 mg (26.09%) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 13.8 mg (15.33%) Copper, Cu 0.12 mg (13.33%) Carbohydrate 14.08 g (10.83%) Iron, Fe 0.64 mg (8.00%) Total dietary Fiber 1.7 g (4.47%) Potassium, K 181 mg (3.85%) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.037 mg (2.85%) Phosphorus, P 16 mg (2.29%) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.028 mg (2.15%) |
| Health Benefits |
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| Calories in 1 Fruit (92 gm) | 52 K cal |