Chaenomeles japonica is often referred to as Quince. This common name should be reserved for Cydonia oblonga.

The fruit of both do however make a very fine jelly; delicious with cold meats and cheese.

Cydonia oblonga is a deciduous small tree that forms a wide much branched canopy. It flowers but does not fruit with us in Edinburgh. A native of the Near East and Central Asia where hot summers guarantee a good set of the scented fruit. Conversely, to initiate flower buds a winter temperature of -7oc or below is required

Here we must be content with the flowers, when loosely rolled in bud resembling a raspberry ripple ice cream cone. The open flower with delicate pink venation on white petals has a slight and unusual scent.

The foliage of soft downy young leaves is, unfortunately, prone to infestation of mildew and subsequent die back.

Cydonia oblonga

Cydonia oblonga

Cydonia oblonga