Hedgerow fruit
Anny Van Hattum
Posts: 1
in Fruit & veg
I have been told I have quinces in my hedge, but I remember them being a lot bigger and on a tree when I was a child. These are greenish small irregular apple shaped things, close to the branch they have grown from. So many conflicting articles online that I don't know what to do with them. Hope someone has some advice?
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There are two types of "quince", Anny. There is the true quince, Cydonia, which is a small fruit tree and fhere is the Japanese qunice, Chaenomeles, which is an ornamental shrub.
Either could have been sown into a hedge by a bird.
Are we talking suburban garden type hedge or country hedge?
Picture of the fruit would help too.
If they are greenish and apple shaped and close to the branch, I'd say that they are most likely Chaenomeles, the ornamental shrub. Did the plant have pretty little flowers?
If they are fuzzy and more pear shaped and widely spaced I think they are true quinces.
Both are still good to make jam from... I scour the neighbourhood for people with quince in there hedges knock on doors and collect lmao..all those who contribute get a jar of quince jelly when its cooked....
This is my quince, if your fruit looks like this then a quince you have!
Stacey, shame you don't live near me as I have a lot of fruit going begging!!
Wondering whether to buy a quince (meaning a cydonia) as well as an apple tree this autumn. What conditions does yours like, 4thPanda? I can't seem to find any help about site etc on the main GW site....
Hi DianaW,
There are a few varieties of Cydonia. Not all are available from any one supplier. Vranja seems to be the most common but I went from
Cydonia Meeche's Prolific
Cydonia Serbian Gold
. Because it seems they'll do better a bit further north. My Meeches Prolific didn't set any fruit. I didn't think about pollinating it myself until too late, however the Serbian Gold was fully pollinated by my trusty paintbrush and I've got a good crop of small but very aromatic quinces.
Same principle applies to Japanese Quince Chaenomeles, I selected varieties for fruit, i.e.,
Chaenomeles japonica Cido
Chaenomeles speciosa Nivalis
Chaenomeles speciosa 'Pink Lady'
I've got some gorgeously scented fruit to add to my crabapple jelly even in their first year.
Oh, I should have said, re: Cydonia conditions. They need a long growing season so unless you live in the South better to grow them on a south facing wall. But I live in County Durham and have one as a standard. It's its first year so we'll have to see how it does on the whole.
I'll be honest Diana, mine was there when we moved in. It's in our front garden and get on with itself. I get lots of fruit and birds love to live in it. It has got a bit out of control and will need a trim soon
I'm in the South East of England and I believe my soil is a trifle clay-ey!
Not sure that really helps
Thanks, both - that helps a lot, especially for Jim's advice on varieties.
I'm in north London, on clay soil, so that should be fine. I successfully grew a chaenomeles (no idea which one) for some years in my first garden, a mile or so away, and it must have self-pollinated as I had fruit from it in my later years there. I'm going in for more fruit in this slightly bigger garden and thought that I'd aim for a "real" quince this time, as I have one ornamental chaenomeles already.
The space where I'd like to try a cydonia is on the south side of a 2-metre high fence; it's probably been wasted on the shrubs I've had there until now!